As the holy month of Ramadan comes to an end, many individuals in Johor Bahru are taking advantage of the usual promotions and discounts to shop for clothing and other essential items in preparation for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations. With the festivities slated for tomorrow, the atmosphere in the city is bustling with excitement as shoppers flock to local establishments to make their last-minute purchases.
A survey conducted by Bernama at a hypermarket in the area revealed that customers were already arriving as early as 9.15 am to shop for a variety of items including clothing, ingredients, traditional sweets, and other essentials. The establishment, popular with both locals and Singaporeans, was abuzz with activity as families and individuals browsed through the aisles in search of the perfect items for the festive season.
One shopper, Aida Miskon, shared her reasons for choosing to shop at the last minute. Apart from her busy work schedule, she also mentioned that she expected to find cheaper prices at this time. „Our family just arrived from Nilai because my husband and I work there. Today we finally had the chance to look for Raya clothes. Since my husband’s hometown is nearby in Kampung Melayu Majidee, we decided to shop here. So far, the prices are reasonable; we need to bargain wisely and look for quality things at reasonable prices. We’re all aware that it’s a tough year, so we’re doing our best to prepare within our means,“ said the mother of five.
Similarly, Hafilah Zatin Amali Aman, a teacher at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Teluk Kerang near Pontian, shared her experience of shopping at the hypermarket. She mentioned that she chose to shop now to avoid the crowds and take advantage of better promotions and discounts. „I arrived at 9.45. There were plenty of parking spots available. Today, I’m searching for a maroon outfit for my youngest child. Our family is not getting new clothes because we had outfits made for my youngest sibling’s event last year. However, my child’s clothes got stained and damaged, so we need to buy a new one,“ she said, accompanied by her 15-year-old son, Hanif Daniel Mohd Syahomlail.
Siblings Suriani Salleh, Sarina Salleh, and Suraya Saleh also shared their shopping experience at the hypermarket. Despite making early preparations, they decided to visit the establishment to browse and purchase additional items that caught their interest. „We just arrived around 9 this morning… we’re strolling around to see if we can buy additional items. We also want to experience the atmosphere on the last day of Ramadan here. Alhamdulillah, we bought 8 jars of cookies, and they’re cheap—4 jars for RM100… here, you really need to shop smart, and maybe there will be more discounts later today. We know that prices have increased, but we must budget and shop according to our needs,“ they said.
Overall, the shopping scene in Johor Bahru is vibrant and lively as individuals make their final purchases for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations. With a focus on finding quality items at reasonable prices, shoppers are navigating the aisles with a sense of purpose and excitement as they prepare to usher in the festive season with joy and gratitude.