THE humble watermelon could cost up to RM30 each at street stalls in Kota Baru, Kelantan, Utusan Malaysia reported.

       Calling it “tembikai kayangan” (heaven sent), the report said off-season watermelons sold at fruit stalls along Jalan Tok Bali-Kota Baru has got pricier since the beginning of Ramadan.

       The term “kayangan” has been widely used to refer to something that is expensive, which only the rich could afford.

       “Many people can’t afford to buy watermelons now for buka puasa,” said customer Siti Fatimah Mohd Nor, 35.

       A trader, who wanted to be identified as Mohamed, said wholesalers from Johor and Pahang have been supplying the fruit at between RM2.80 and RM3 per kilogramme.

       Traders are only taking 50 sen profit per kilogramme, said Mohamed, 44.

       In fact, he said the price might continue to rise by Hari Raya and the school holidays because of the high demand when more celebrations take place.

       Previously, in mid-February, buyers could get watermelons for as low as RM1 per kilogram or about RM5 each.

       > TV personality Daphne Iking, who has begun wearing the tudung since October last year, has opened up on how she has become accustomed to it.

       Harian Metro quoted her as saying that she would now feel awkward if she were to leave the house without a headscarf.

       Daphne, 43, quipped that at her age, she would feel embarrassed if she were to dress like Hollywood star Halle Berry.

       Furthermore, she has told her husband that she wanted to sell off her sexy clothes.

       She admitted that she initially wore the tudung to cover her grey hair whenever she had to attend public functions.

       According to her, she had wanted to donate her hair to a cancer charity organisation, which stipulated that donors must not have done any chemical treatment on their hair for six months.

       “During that period, my grey hair became more visible,” she said.

       She also said that she has been involved in cancer awareness programmes following her father’s death from cancer.

       ● The above article is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this ' >'sign, it denotes a separate news item.