A Penang Ramadan bazaar trader reveals she has yet to earn RM500 after 21 days despite a RM10,000 capital outlay

A Ramadan bazaar trader operating at a shopping centre in Bertam, Kepala Batas has gone viral after sharing her heartbreaking financial reality online — revealing that after 21 days of trading, she has yet to earn even RM500 in returns despite investing over RM10,000 to set up her business.

The trader, known on Threads as @alia_yahaya, said she had committed a significant amount of capital to secure her spot at the bazaar, only to find that foot traffic at the shopping centre has been disappointingly low throughout the Ramadan season.

Breaking down her costs, she shared that her total outlay included RM10,000 in capital, RM3,500 for booth rental, and RM2,000 for staff wages and borrowed funds — a combined financial burden that has grown heavier with each passing day of slow sales.

“There are nights I go home with nothing,” she wrote in her post, capturing the quiet desperation that many small traders face behind the festive atmosphere of Ramadan bazaars.

She was careful not to place blame on the mall’s management, noting that marketing efforts had been made and that well-known influencers had even made appearances at the bazaar to draw crowds. Despite those efforts, the response from the public simply did not materialise.

With roughly 15 days remaining in the Ramadan season at the time of her post, her focus has shifted entirely from profit to survival. “I’m no longer thinking about making money. I’m just trying to figure out how to settle my debts,” she admitted.

Still, she and her team have chosen to press on. “We will keep our stall open. Even though the fear inside is growing. Please pray that we stay strong until the end of Raya,” she wrote.

The post struck a chord with many Malaysians online, resonating with the reality that not every Ramadan trader walks away from the season ahead — and that behind every bazaar stall is a person carrying real financial risk.

 The Sun Malaysia