Compiled by FAZLEENA AZIZ, JAROD LIM and R.ARAVINTHAN
N. MARIYAI Devi is the only non-Muslim operating a stall at the Ramadan bazaar in Dataran Senawang in Seremban.
The tuition teacher, who previously sold clothes for Deepavali in Bandar Seremban, said she was warmly welcomed by the local community.
“A good childhood friend, who now lives in Dubai, suggested that we sell various headscarves from the Emirates at the Ramadan bazaar this year,” she told Harian Metro.
“I was apprehensive at first; this was my first time selling at a Ramadan bazaar.
“I enquired with the organisers, and they assured me that there were no obstacles to non-Malays trading there.”
The 46-year-old went on to survey the popular types of hijab fashion unavailable locally and ordered 200 hijab from Dubai and India.
Business during the first two weeks of Ramadan was brisk, and she had to make a second order, she said.
“Usually, young people come to buy these hijab to match their Raya clothes. The pricing is also reasonable for these items imported from Dubai and India,” she said.
Mariyai Devi also said she did not feel alienated despite being a non-Muslim, adding that the traders and customers were friendly towards her.
> The family of Fattah Amin approves of his good ties with singer Amira Othman, Berita Harian quoted the actor as saying.
“They (the family) like her because Amira previously attended an event with them.
“They are happy to see me befriend Amira.
“She is a good artiste, friend and colleague. However, I prefer not to elaborate further. We are on good terms as colleagues,” he said.
Fattah, 34, added that he has asked Amira, 31, to pray for him on her umrah (mini pilgrimage) in Mecca.
He has given her a list of prayers that he hopes the singer will recite in the Holy Land.
Fattah and actress Nur Fazura Shariffuddin divorced last year after a seven-year marriage.
They share a daughter, four-year-old Nur Fatima Aisya.
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.
