Tawau: With over 100 food and beverage stalls, the Ramadan Bazaar at Sabindo Plaza is not just a bustling marketplace that fosters harmony by bringing together people from various ethnic backgrounds but also a platform to showcase Sabah's ethnic culinary heritage.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, for Amjah Bacok, a trader selling 42 types of traditional kuih (desserts), food represented a cultural heritage, but traditional dishes were becoming less common as trendy, hipster meals gained popularity. To ensure these age-old recipes were not forgotten by future generations, Amjah said she also offered traditional Bugis kuih like 'pisang talemmek', 'barongko', and 'bolu peca' at his stall.

Amjah, 57, who has been in business for over 17 years, shared that his stall also offered Bugis dishes such as kapurung (a dish made from sago) and bubur pisang ijo (green banana porridge). "All the food sold is prepared by my wife, with help from our two children every day. Each packet of kuih is sold for RM3, while bubur pisang ijo, kapurung, and barongko are sold for RM5," he said.

Another vendor, Ika Ramli, 37, highlighted that her stall featured traditional Bajau and Suluk favourites such as 'putu ubi kayu', 'latok' (seaweed), and 'kilau' (a raw fish dish marinated in vinegar with mango). She explained that in Sabah, 'putu ubi kayu' is a traditional dish that sells quickly and is popular among people from various communities. Her stall also offers a variety of grilled seafood sourced from Semporna.

Ika mentioned that the price of grilled fish ranged from RM15 to RM17, depending on size, and this year's response had been very encouraging, with daily earnings reaching up to RM800. She had been selling at the Ramadan Bazaar for over five years and emphasized the importance of offering grilled fish alongside their traditional dishes.

Meanwhile, visitor Mohd Alim Basa, 35, praised the bazaar's lively atmosphere and the wide variety of food available, ranging from traditional dishes to Western and Korean cuisine. Originally from Perak and now working in Tawau, he found the traditional dishes from Sabah's ethnic groups particularly interesting and noted the affordability of the food.