A woman claims she was “scammed” after buying burnt popiah at a Ramadan bazaar, sparking debate among netizens over quality and price
A woman has taken to social media to express her frustration after purchasing fried popiah from a Ramadan bazaar, only to find the filling inside burnt and the overall quality far below what she had expected for the price paid.
The incident was shared by Threads user @qistina.zailan, who bought popiah sira — fried popiah coated with chilli — from Bazaar Ramadan Desa Pandan.
Despite the item appearing appetising from the outside, she was left disappointed upon breaking it open.
“Another day, another scam by the trader at the bazaar. It’s already expensive, each piece costs more than RM1, the filling is burnt, and the popiah skin is thick,” she wrote in her post.
In an accompanying video, she cracked open the outer layer to reveal a thick, slightly hollow popiah skin with what appeared to be dark, overcooked filling inside.
Initially unsure of what the filling was, she remarked that it was dry and did not resemble fried onion as she had expected. The filling appeared to consist of long, darkened vegetables mixed with a small amount of bean sprouts.
The post drew considerable response in the comments section. One netizen claimed to have purchased popiah from the same vendor the previous year and similarly felt the filling had been burnt, adding that she was uncertain about the ingredients used.
The original poster speculated that the filling may have been repeatedly reheated, causing it to overcook over time.
The post also sparked a broader conversation about rising popiah prices at Ramadan bazaars this year. Several netizens steered the discussion toward alternatives, with one recommending Bazaar Ramadan Pandan Indah, where popiah is reportedly sold at RM1 per piece.
“It’s tasty. People queue up every day,” the user noted. Another commenter lamented the general price increase, sharing that they had recently paid RM7 for four pieces at a separate stall.
Ramadan bazaars are a beloved seasonal tradition in Malaysia, offering a wide variety of local snacks and dishes ahead of the evening breaking of fast.
However, concerns over food quality and value for money at such bazaars surface regularly each year, particularly as prices continue to climb..
The Sun Malaysia
