Low stall rental keeps Stutong Ramadan Bazaar food prices affordable, says deputy minister

KUCHING (Feb 19): Low rental rates at the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Ramadan Bazaar in Stutong here are helping keep food prices affordable, said Sarawak Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni.

He noted that stall rentals, around RM250 for the whole month of Ramadan, are the lowest compared to other bazaars.

“The prices of food here are affordable. In fact, they are even cheaper. The rental here is the lowest at around RM250 per month. Other places charge more than RM400,” he told reporters during the bazaar’s launch.

Dr Hazland said the lower rental enables business owners to offer food at reasonable prices without compromising quality.

He added that cleanliness and food safety remain top priorities.

“I believe that MBKS conducts monitoring and takes random samples of food to ensure everything sold meets high hygiene and safety standards. That is the most important thing,” he said.

He stressed that all bazaars should improve management, particularly in cleanliness and adherence to standard operating procedures for food preparation.

With more than 300 applicants vying for 160 available stalls this year, Dr Hazland said the strong response reflects the bazaar’s growth potential.

He also highlighted the bazaar’s multiracial composition, bringing together Malay, Chinese, Dayak and other traders in one location.

Earlier, he congratulated MBKS for maintaining the Stutong Ramadan Bazaar as an important annual platform for community gathering and for supporting local businesses’ socio-economic growth.

Also present were Kuching South mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng and deputy mayor Dato Zaiedi Suhaili.