As early as the first day of the holy month of Ramadhan, roadside stalls selling lemang (bamboo rice) have been making its presence along areas with busy traffic.
Although there are also stalls selling other food such as cendol, pais daging and grilled items, the majority offer lemang.
Braving the humidity while fasting, many of these stalls are manned by housewives, who take advantage of the holy month to help ease the financial burden of their husbands, especially in preparing the household for the upcoming Hari Raya. Some even bring along their young children as there is no one else to look after them.
Rafidah binti Sidik has been selling lemang since she was eight years old, accompanying her parents at the stall.
Sharing her story with the Bulletin, with her three young children including her youngest baby sleeping soundly in a cot despite the weather, she said they were initially selling the local favourite along Jalan Babu Raja but was asked to move to a safer spot, as well as served a reminder to keep their stalls tidy and clean during operations.
On better days, they would go home before breaking of the fast, but there are days when she would stay back until after sungkai with the hope of selling the last few pieces.
“I usually set up around 1pm, before people return home from work. My husband would join me after work to help out with either selling lemang or looking after our children,” she said.
When the business was first set up, her parents would also help out, but since her mother passed away at the end of last year, Rafidah has been tending to the business on her own, mastering the lemang preparation.
“A lot of preparations are put into making lemang,” said Rafidah, from getting the bamboos from the jungle to filling it with rice. For beginners, at least a few hours are needed to prepare the dish. However, Rafidah is seasoned enough to be able to put together 30 to 40 pieces in half an hour.
“We don’t have a permanent stall to sell our lemang, so this is the only time that I can run the business. I plan to sell it a few days into Hari Raya. I also take bookings from my regulars through phone and they will come to collect at my stall,” she said.
Meanwhile, Alina, who only comes down to help out her sister-in-law Noraidah when she is not working, said that they have also been doing this for many years.
“I am working shifts in the private sector, so I only come down to help when I am on night shifts or during my off days. My sister-in-law is the only one manning the stall full-time throughout the fasting month and the first few days of Hari Raya.”
The stall is quite spacious despite being by the roadside, and their business does not cause traffic congestion as most customers only make a pit stop lasting a few minutes.
“Like most of the stalls here, business has been alright. There are good and bad days, but it does not affect us in any way as that is how business goes. We have had good revenues nevertheless and we also have customers dropping by to do advance bookings for Hari Raya,” she said.
Lemang preparation needs to be done in the early morning to make sure it is fresh which takes about three to four hours and usually allows them to make around 40 pieces of lemang, she shared.
She added that they are usually at their stall by 1.30pm and sometimes they break their fast there, hoping for customers buying the last few pieces of their lemang.
Norliana binti Ali Kassim from the Tutong District stays in Kampong Rimba with her husband’s family.
The housewife shared that she has been manning her stall on her own since her mother-in-law passed away, having mastered her homemade recipe.
There are times her eldest child, who is 14 years old, would come down to help.
“We don’t make preparations too early, especially because the bamboos would rot if kept for too long. My husband would go into the jungle to get some bamboos enough to last a couple of days and then will go again to get new ones.”
Just like the other lemang vendors, she too plans to sell on the first few days of Hari Raya as she anticipates that people dropping by to buy lemang after prayers or her regulars collecting orders.
“It is usually the regular customers on the first day. Selling lemang is just like any other business, there are some disappointing times, especially when thinking of the expenditure for Raya but I just brush it off as I believe everyone has their fair share of rezeki,” said Norliana.
“It can be hot and tiring being a roadside vendor but I try to keep my spirit up as I’m doing this for my children. Alhamdulillah, our hard work will pay off as we get to prepare a good Raya for our children and that has always been the priority of my husband and I,” she said. – Lyna Mohamad
