KUCHING: Jom Makan Durian, a ‘Durian Buffet’ organised by Emart Batu Kawa at Tamu Emart Batu Kawa here yesterday, received an overwhelming response from the public from near and far.
Customers paid only RM20 each to eat as many durians as they could.
Four hundred durians of various mixed species, including Musang King, Species 69, 101 and 96 were supplied by Henry Nyandar, 43, from Kampung Tarat Sebala in Serian, who had 50 durian trees in his five-acre orchard.
Photo: Mohd Alif Noni
Abdul Mutalif Hassan, 37, a full-time fruit seller at Tamu E-mart Batu Kawa, was involved in selling the durians during the buffet.
“We managed to sell them all within two hours,” he said when met at the tamu here yesterday.
“We are doing it for charity in order to provide an opportunity to the people to eat durians. We don’t make much profit. But if we have the opportunity, we will still do it again,” he said.
Syaza Shuhaida, 22, an entrepreneur, came with her husband all the way from Matang for the durian buffet .
“For RM20 per pax it’s quite okay. We can eat until we are satisfied. If we open a durian and it is not good, we can change it,” she said.
Her husband quipped, “It is really exciting. Should have it weekly.”
Syaza and her husband managed to eat more than 10 durians.
Haji Julai Abong, 74, a retired announcer with RTM Kuching, also came to the durian buffet.
He paid RM100 for nine durians and said the prices were “quite reasonable”.
“Normally, a durian costs RM25. So that is half the price,” he said, adding that the fruits were of good quality.
Allen, a 56-year-old businessman, said RM20 per pax was worth it.
“I prefer many varieties. They don’t have durians with the milky sweet taste today. Probably, the species here are from the lowlands,” he said, adding he managed to eat two durians.
Peter Liew, a 60-year-old businessman from Tabuan Jaya, said some of the durians were good while some were bad.
“The durians are mostly local durians. The RM20 per pax charge for as many durians as you can eat is quite reasonable,” he said.
Continued read on page 2 (New sarawak tribune newspaper 12/12/18)
