JOHOR BARU: Even the sight and sound of people bargaining at the shop was thrilling for Nor Attiyah Mostaffa.
“I had missed the feeling of shopping for Hari Raya. For the past two years, we did all of our shopping online.
“It’s nice to see people and hearing them bargaining after so long. I am very happy to be able to experience it again,” said the clerk, who was spotted buying baju Raya at a mall here.
Nor Attiyah, 34, said she was glad that the Hari Raya atmosphere was back this year.
“It is nice to see many people going to the stores, busy shopping with Hari Raya songs playing in the background,” she added.
For the celebrants, the past few days had been a rush to look for last-minute deals. Clothes and cookies were top most on their shopping list.
Housewife Nor Hazira Othman, 41, came with her husband and three children to look for new clothes and cookies for friends and relatives.
“It has been two years since we get to fully experience Hari Raya and we want to make it count. My relatives who are living in Singapore are finally able to come back to Johor for Hari Raya this year and I want to get them some goodies,” she said.
Cookie seller Atiq Kamarul, 50, said buyers from Singapore had also enlivened the mall where he works, especially on weekends.
“People are buying cookies by the dozen this year compared to last year where they would only buy two to three jars.
“With the long weekend for Labour Day coming ahead of Hari Raya, we expect the crowd to increase further, especially on Hari Raya eve.
“More Singaporeans will also be taking advantage of the holidays to get their Hari Raya cookies and other goodies for the festival,” she said.
Salesperson Munirah Ali said there had been an endless stream of customers at the clothing store where she works.
“The crowd has been getting bigger each week,” she said.
Munirah, 28, said the shop had also been offering more discounts as Hari Raya draws closer.
“So, more people are coming to grab these last-minute deals,” she said.