PETALING JAYA: Although Chinese New Year is tomorrow, it seems like many Chinese have decided to do last-minute shopping for their reunion dinner tonight.
It is not that they did not want to make early preparations for the tonight’s eve get-together, however, due to work demands they had to make their purchases only today.
A trader at the Pasar Besar Jalan Othman here, who wanted to be known as Ping, 58, said she was so relieved that she could buy several items at the last minute after finishing her work today.
“I am here to get somethings that we are short of at home, so I just want to buy them in case they need to use them this weekend,” said the accountant to Bernama.
For Magdalend, 71, despite doing last-minute shopping, she will ensure that the joy of the celebration will not affected. She is excited to do a cook-up for her siblings and relatives who will visit her here for the celebration.
“I am cooking noodles for Chinese New Year lunch for 34 of my siblings and relatives who are coming over. So, I am making last-minute buys for all the ingredients,” she added.
For traders, business must go on even though tomorrow is Chinese New Year as they must ensure all their available stock is sold before the long Chinese New Year holidays.
Market vegetable seller, Ah Har, 68, said half of her supplies were snapped up by 10.30 am today after she opened her stall at 5 am.
Chicken seller Shelly Lim, 70, said many people started buying their stock of chicken three days ago for fear prices would increase before Chinese New Year.
“Today, many Chinese came to buy kampung chicken, and as early as 10.40 am, my stock of these chicken was finished,” said Lim, noting that most buy their chicken early in order to cook and serve it after the midday prayers.
However, tau foo and taugeh seller Ng Siew Kim, 57, said her sales have not been good this year as in previous years before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“There are still people buying but not as in pre-pandemic days, and I think this is mainly because most of them prefer to order food online instead of cooking as well as because it is hard to get parking spaces here,” she added. – BERNAMA
