Can’t keep up with the orders’: Sales of Hari Raya goods in JB boosted by return of Singapore shoppers

The_King · April 29, 2022

She cited the reopening of land borders between Singapore and Johor earlier this month as the key reason for a spike in sales during this festive season.

“For a stall like ours, 70 per cent of our business comes from Singaporean customers. Before COVID-19, Singaporeans would come to Angsana. And we are so happy now that borders are reopened, they have come back,” she added.

Other businesses in Johor Bahru which sell Hari Raya products have reported similar spike in sales this month, with many crediting this to the return of Singaporean tourists.

Additionally, visitors from Singapore interviewed by CNA said that they decided to make the trip across the Causeway for Hari Raya shopping because of the recent favourable exchange rate, with the Malaysian Ringgit weakening against the Singapore Dollar.

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Angsana Shopping Centre is one of the more popular malls when it comes to shopping for Hari Raya products in Johor Bahru, partly due to its centralised location.

When CNA visited the mall on Tuesday evening (Apr 26), it was packed with visitors.

At Mdm Suhaiza’s Sue’s homemade cookies stall on the ground floor, visitors had to queue in line to enter. Many cookies, such as popiah serunding (mini spring rolls with grated coconut) and kueh makmur (cookies filled with crushed toasted peanuts), were no longer in stock.

“We did not expect them to announce the reopening of borders so soon, so we did not prepare enough for this crowd,” she said, adding that her earnings have doubled as compared to last year.

There were similar crowds waiting outside the adjacent Hari Raya cookie stores as well.

At Impian, which sells Hari Raya decorations and lights, there was a sizeable crowd too.

Its owner Ms Tan Shwn Ing told CNA that in the 20 years she has done business in Angsana, she has not seen such high demand for her Hari Raya products.