MARANG – Meskipun harga gula dan beberapa bahan mentah meningkat, namun 30 peniaga di sekitar Pasar Kedai Buluh di sini masih menjual makanan dengan harga rendah.
Contohnya air teh ‘o’ (tanpa susu) gelas kecil berharga 50 sen dan kuih-muih lima biji RM1.
Seorang peniaga kuih, Akma Abdullah, 45, berkata 16 jenis kuih di kedainya masih dijual dengan harga murah sejak lima tahun lepas meskipun harga bahan mentah utama seperti tepung, telur dan gula meningkat sekali ganda.
“Kebanyakan kuih yang kakak jual ni kuih tradisional, harga memang sama sejak dulu…kalau naik pun, lima sen saja dan ada lagi kuih yang kakak jual berharga 20 sen dan 25 sen sebiji.
“Karipap inti ikan, kuih tako, belebat ubi, tepung bungkus dan kuih koci, kakak jual lima biji RM1, kuih kasidah empat biji RM1, peneram pula kakak jual tujuh biji RM1…kalau jual mahal-mahal nanti ramai pula orang merungut,” katanya kepada Bernama ketika ditemui di kedainya di sini Selasa.
Menurut Akma, beliau masih mengekalkan harga rendah meskipun mendapat keuntungan sedikit, kerana kebanyakan pembelinya merupakan pelanggan tetap sejak 15 tahun lepas.
Bagi peniaga nasi ayam dan masakan panas yang hanya mahu dikenali sebagai Lili Suhana, 33, beliau mengenakan RM3.50 untuk sepinggan nasi ayam sama dengan dua lagi peniaga nasi ayam di pasar berkenaan.
“Selain jual nasi ayam, kakak juga jual nasi goreng, mee sup, kuey teow sup dan semua ini hanya RM3 semangkuk manakala untuk semangkuk nasi air, kakak jual RM2.50,” katanya.
Lili Suhana turut menawarkan harga minuman dengan kadar rendah seperti 50 sen untuk secawan teh ‘o’ walaupun guna teh uncang dan RM1.60 untuk segelas milo ais berbanding harga biasa RM2 segelas.
Fatimah Ismail, 56, yang menjual nasi dagang turut mengekalkan harga lama walaupun harga beras pulut dan ikan tongkol tidak menentu dan kadangkala meningkat mengikut harga pasaran.
“Dah hampir 11 tahun mak cik berniaga, harga barang dah berkali ganda naik, tapi mak cik tetap jual dengan harga berpatutan, dulu harga RM1.50, tapi sekarang mak cik naikkan 50 sen sebab memang tak dapat nak tampung lagi harga ikan dan beras.
“Harga ikan tak tentu, kadang-kadang RM8 sekilo, kadang-kadang sampai RM10 sekilo, tapi mak cik tetap jual dengan harga RM2 sebab bila mak cik tak naikkan harga, pelanggan akan terus datang membeli,” kata Fatimah yang menjual 14kg nasi dagang sehari.
Peniaga air batu campur (ABC) Abdul Mutalib Ali, 75, yang sudah 40 tahun berniaga berkata walaupun harga ABC yang dijual hanya RM1, bahannya tetap mewah kerana beliau turut meletakkan buah kabung, kacang serta jagung di dalamnya.
“Pakcik juga menjual sepinggan mee goreng dengan harga RM1. Pakcik tak jual mahal, walau untung sikit tapi sekurang-kurangnya boleh menyara seorang cucu yang tinggal dengan pakcik,” katanya.
Bagi Ahmad Shawal Ibrahim, 40, yang bekerja di Chendering berkata beliau memilih menjamu selera di kedai makan Pasar Kedai Buluh ini kerana harga makanan yang dijual sangat murah berbanding tempat lain terutama harga minuman yang dijual bawah RM1.
“Boleh dikatakan setiap hari saya akan singgah makan di sini kerana banyak makanan yang enak dan sering mengajak rakan sepejabat makan di kawasan ini kerana ia dibuka dari 8 pagi hingga 5 petang,” katanya.
Seorang lagi pelanggan, Khamis Salleh, 49, berkata beliau sering mengunjungi pasar berkenaan untuk menikmati kuih tradisional serta nasi dagang dan berpuas hati dengan tahap kebersihan di kawasan itu walaupun lokasinya di sebelah pasar basah.
“Di sini senang nak dapat kuih tradisional, murah pula tu, di tempat lain tak ada lagi orang jual kuih lima biji RM1 dan walaupun kuih dan makanan lain jual dengan harga murah, tapi kuantitinya masih banyak dan memang saya puas hati dalam semua aspek,” katanya.- BERNAMA
ENGLISH VERSION
Pasar Kedai Buluh Entice Customers With Cheap Traditional Fare
Amid the rising prices of sugar and raw materials, there are still kuih (cake) sellers and food stalls in Kuala Terengganu offering fares at prices that can be considered cheap.
A survey by BERNAMA at Pasar Kedai Buluh found that some 30 food sellers there priced their menu low, including a small glass of teh ‘o’ for 50 sen and five kuih for a ringgit.
Kuih seller Akma Abdullah, 45, said the 16 types of kuih at her shop have always been sold cheap despite the increase in price of goods such as flour, eggs and sugar.
“I mostly sell traditional kuih and their prices have remained the same…if it goes up it will only be five sen. I still have kuih priced at 20 sen and 25 sen a piece.
“Fish curry puffs, kuih tako, belebat ubi, tepung bungkus and kuih koci are sold for a ringgit for every five pieces, kuih kasidah are priced at four pieces per ringgit, seven pieces of peneram per ringgit…if I sell them higher people will complain,” she told Bernama at her stall here Tuesday.
According to Akma, her prices have stayed low for the past 15 years because she wanted to keep her loyal customers happy even if it meant making little profit.
Another seller, who wants to be known as Lili Suhana, 33, said she only charges RM3.50 for a plate of chicken rice.
“There are three chicken rice sellers here including me and we have decided not to increase the price because we think about our customers, we like them to buy even if we don’t make much. What is the point of raising the price and not having people buying them.
“We also sell fried rice, kueteow sup and mee sup for RM3 a bowl and RM2.50 for porridge,” she said.
Lili Suhana, whose shop called Kedai Kak Non, offers drinks for as low as RM0.50 for a glass of teh ‘o’ despite using tea bags and a glass of iced Milo for RM1.60 compared to the usual price of RM2.00.
Fatimah Ismail, 56, also retained the price of her nasi dagang despite the changing price of glutinous rice and tuna.
“I’ve been selling for almost 11 years and even when goods became expensive I still sell at a reasonable price. I used to sell for RM1.50, but I raised my price by RM0.50 to cater to the current price of rice and fish…it’s hard to get nasi dagang for RM2 like mine.
“The price of fish depends, sometimes its RM8 per kg, sometimes its up to RM10 per kg, but I still sell nasi dagang for RM2 to keep customers coming back and I still make a profit when my food sells out,” she said, adding that she sells about 14 kg of nasi dagang daily.
For Abdul Mutalib Ali, 75, who banks on the hot scorching afternoon heat to sell his Air Batu Campur (ABC), his fare which is laden with corn, buah kabung and nuts have been sold for RM1 for 40 years there.
“I sell fried noodles for RM1, I don’t make much profit but at least I can support myself and my grandchild who lives with me,” he said.
Customer Ahmad Shawal Ibrahim, 40, said he comes by to eat at Pasar Kedai Buluh almost every day because the food there was much cheaper compared to other places.
“The food here is so cheap, no other place sells drinks for less than a ringgit, but they do here and the food is tasty too,” he said.
He added that he brings colleagues here for lunch and even tea because it is open from 8am to 5pm daily.
Another customer, Khamis Salleh, 49, said he enjoys the traditional food sold at the market.
“It’s easy to find traditional food here and it’s cheap too. You can’t get five pieces of kuih for a ringgit anywhere else but here, even the ABC is RM1.
“The food and drinks are cheap, and you can get a lot in terms of quantity. I’m satisfied,” he said.
He added that the sellers also maintained cleanliness in their premises despite it being next to a wet market.
