Telekung in great demand

KUALA LUMPUR: Telekung, an outfit worn by Muslim women during prayers, covers a wo­man’s body and only reveals the face. It is usually white in colour.

This outfit is readily available in the market throughout the year but some Muslims only buy it during Ramadan.

The cost of a pair of telekung depends on the quality of materials used.

In some parts of Malaysia, retailers have even launched a price war.

For telekung seller Nor Azirah Salleh, the prayer outfit is currently fashionable and in great demand during Ramadan.

“There are some customers who claim that they only purchase the telekung once a year during Ramadan.

“We are currently offering discounts on te­lekung. Before Ramadan, the price of a pair of telekung at our store was between RM55 and RM60. Now, we are selling a pair for RM40,” said Nor Azirah, who sells telekung which are produced in Indonesia.

She added that she was offering discounts because of the abundant supply in bazaars, boutiques, and markets.

Meanwhile, Padzilah Enda Sulaiman, owner of Siti Khadijah Apparel Sdn Bhd, contributes telekung for the purpose of sedekah (donation) during Ramadan to orphanages and surau.

She added that people buy telekung that meet the requirements to perform the ibadah and is easy to wear.

Many telekung that deluge the local market are produced in neighbouring countries, such as Indonesia, and prayer outfits produced in Malaysia are only available at a few outlets.

The white telekung is still popular among Muslims in Malaysia, especially among those going for the haj in Mecca.

Padzilah added that the production of telekung in Malaysia was not full-fledged, which was why it was still imported from neighbouring countries.

According to telekung entrepreneur Noor Azliza Abdul Wahab of Kampung Pulau Kecil, Jitra, Kedah, who runs Melati Tanjung Enterprise, there was always a huge demand for locally-produced telekung. — Bernama