Klebang: In a gesture of gratitude to loyal customers and support for the less fortunate this Aidilfitri, lemang trader, Shamsur Ezam Mohd Afandi, 40, offered each lemang for just RM10, yesterday. The father of three shared that nearly 400 lemang stems-regular, corn, and black glutinous rice variants-usually priced between RM18 and RM20 each, were sold for just RM10 from 3.30 pm yesterday, selling out within an hour and a half.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Shamsur Ezam expressed his intention to give back and show appreciation to his loyal customers in Klebang and the surrounding areas. He stated, “This RM10 lemang is our way of helping those in need, so we decided to offer it at a lower price.” He explained that slightly smaller bamboo stems were used for these lemang, which allowed him to sell them at a reduced price without compromising quality.

Shamsur Ezam assured that despite the lower price, the quality remained uncompromised, as he ensures that the taste matches that of those typically sold at the standard price of RM20 each. He emphasized that while the lemang contains only basic ingredients like salt, coconut milk, and glutinous rice, the key to its unique taste lies in his fire control technique.

Having inherited the business from his family in 2000, Shamsur Ezam now serves hundreds of loyal customers who eagerly return each year to enjoy his lemang before Aidilfitri. He also fulfills orders beyond the festive season.

However, he noted that the price of lemang has increased by RM2 this year, bringing it to RM20 per stalk due to rising costs of ingredients. The cost of coconut milk, for instance, has risen significantly from RM9 per kilogramme to RM14, along with surges in prices for bamboo stems and banana leaves.

Shamsur Ezam revealed that the overwhelming demand for lemang this Aidilfitri surpassed his expectations, compelling him to decline orders for approximately 6,000 stems. He mentioned that he can accommodate around 2,500 stems per day during Aidilfitri, and afterwards, he will limit it to 1,000 per day.

For the eve of Aidilfitri alone, he received orders for approximately 3,000 lemang stems, bringing the total orders, including those for the festive period, to an astonishing 30,000. The orders primarily consist of three varieties: regular, corn, and black glutinous rice.