Sponsor a child's Hari Raya clothing with Project Goodwill Aid

Source: Project Goodwill Aid Facebook page. Poster inviting sponsorships for children's Eid requirements.

Project Goodwill Aid is focusing on orphans and children from single-parent families this year.

The charity is inviting the public to sponsor a child from their carelist for Hari Raya (Eid) clothing and accessories, at a budget of S$100/child. Donors may bring these kids out (with their parents/guardian) to buy whatever they need. 

Project Goodwill Aid says that general requirements include baju kurung and Raya shoes. Girls may want a small purse or bag to accessorise, while boys will need songkok, butang baju (buttons) and kain samping*. 

The charity encourages donors to treat the child and companion for a simple iftar, if the timing is right, or to order some snacks to-go if the trip ends earlier. 

The public is also invited to sponsor a child (with no minimum amount), and Project Goodwill Aid will do the shopping on their behalf. 

Interested?

Send a private message on Facebook if interested, in the format:

❥ HRS2017
❥ Name and Facebook name
❥ Contact number (mobile preferred)
❥ Number of kids willing to bring out/sponsor
❥ Availability by date and time for scheduling purposes.

Hashtags: #projectgoodwillaid, #pgarayaspecialkids2017

*Samping refers to a piece of cloth traditionally worn as part of festive clothing that covers the navel to the knees. 

Zalora opens Hari Raya Boutique for 2017

Source: Zalora Hari Raya Boutique microsite. These two Hari Raya Exclusives are from Zalia.

Online fashion retailer Zalora has opened its Hari Raya Boutique for 2017. The dedicated pages feature fashion from own-brands Zalia and Zalia Homme as well as PETRA and Lubna. Designs for Hari Raya from third parties exclusively for Zalora include Kree for Zalora, Jovian Mandagie for Zalora, and Tom Abang Saufi for Zalora.

The majority of the 690 items on offer are for women, with 71 for men. Prices range from S$14 to under S$200.

Interested?

Follow the Zalora Facebook page for limited-time discounts. Delivery is free for orders over S$40

Hari Raya is family time in Indonesia and Malaysia

The majority of Muslims in three Southeast Asian countries celebrated Hari Raya Aidilfitri* (Eid al-Fitr outside Southeast Asia) in 2016, according to an online survey* by YouGov conducted in early July 2016 in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Indonesia has the highest percentage of Muslims** (88%) among the three countries, and 76% of the respondents said they planned to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri this year. In Malaysia, where six out of 10 people are Muslim, 65% of respondents said they plan to celebrate Hari Raya. In Singapore, where 16% of the population is Muslim, 27% of respondents planned to celebrate Hari Raya, suggesting that a proportion of non-Muslims are also celebrating the holiday.

Among those who planned to celebrate Hari Raya, the top three activities in Indonesia and Malaysia were being with family and loved ones (95% in Indonesia and 93% in Malaysia), visiting relatives and friends (72% in Indonesia and 76% in Malaysia), and attending communal prayers at the mosque (76% in Indonesia and 64% in Malaysia). In Singapore, being with family and loved ones is the top activity (74%) and visiting relatives and friends (54%) remains one of the most common ways to celebrate Hari Raya. Less than 40% of respondents plan to attend communal prayers at the mosque (36%), which would also align with the trend of non-Muslims celebrating the holiday. People in Singapore like feasting with traditional delicacies (53%), sending greetings to relatives and friends (43%), or giving children token sums of money (38%).

Source: YouGov infographic. Worship is the top value underlying Hari Raya for Indonesians, whereas empathy for the poor is the top value for Malaysia and Singapore.

In Indonesia and Malaysia, a significant number of respondents (20% in Indonesia and 13% in Malaysia) like Hari Raya because it is a time to reflect and remind themselves of the important values of life. Over half of the respondents in Indonesia think worship (56%) is the most important, then comes to steadfastness (15%), and empathy for the poor (11%); while respondents from Malaysia think empathy for the poor is the most important (28%), followed by patience (18%) and worship (16%). In Singapore, 28% respondents think empathy for the poor is the most important, then it is worship (19%) and patience (10%).

Lontong on the upper left and ketupat in the middle.

Home-made beef rendang.

Festive foods include ketupat (rice cooked in a wrap woven from coconut leaves) is the favourite food during Hari Raya period for respondents from Indonesia; while rendang (meat cooked with spices and coconut milk until almost dry) is the favourite food during Hari Raya among respondents from both Malaysia and Singapore.

For Hari Raya this year, over half of respondents in Malaysia (51%) plan to go back to their hometown for celebration, and over 70% of them (74%) visit their hometown every year during this period of time. In terms of transportation, over 70% of respondents (72%) drive their own car / motorcycle to visit their hometown. Almost one in five fly home (19%). In Indonesia, four out of 10 respondents (41%) plan to go back to their hometown this year for Hari Raya and over half of respondents (53%) visit their hometown every year during this period of time. Most people drive their own car / motorcycle (44%) or fly (28%) to visit their hometown. In Singapore, which is a city-state, fewer than 10% of respondents (9%) plan to go back to their hometown during this period of time. Over 60% of them said they are already in their hometown.

Interested?

View the complete infographic

*Data was collected among YouGov’s panelists from 2 July to 8 July 2016 and was weighted to be representative of online population. Sample size: Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore (Total n = 3,020; with Indonesia: 1,015; Malaysia: 1,004; Singapore: 1,001)

**Figures from http://www.muslimpopulation.com/asia/

posted from Bloggeroid

Walton Singapore's Hari Raya event includes bazaar with something for all

Source: Walton eDM.

The Walton Group (Walton), a privately-owned real estate investment and development multinational group which concentrates on pre-development land investments in North America, is organising a Hari Raya (Eid) event for the family in Singapore. People of all faiths are welcome.

The Celebrate Hari Raya with Walton event commemorates Walton's first Hari Raya after receiving shari'ah-compliant endorsement of its business model and investment offerings in Singapore from the Financial Shariah Advisory and Consultancy (FSAC) earlier in the year.

The evening's activities will include a series of talks, including an interview with the FSAC on Walton and the Muslim community, and Ustaz Mohammad Khairi bin Nazron will speak about remembering Ramadhan. Tee Wai Wai, Director of Sales, Walton International Group, will speak about Peace of Mind forYour Family's Future.

A mini bazaar and other activities will be held on the sidelines, together with children's entertainment facilities. Booths at the event include:

Aleyda Mobile Spa, a Singapore provider of on-site spa services for events. It offers professional massage, mani-pedi and facial services.

Source: Baraka Bazaar website. Islamic audio CDs.

Baraka Bazaar, Asia's online Islamic store. Books, beads, attar (perfume), bukhoor (incense), fashion, CDs, and DVDs will be on offer.

Being Centre, which runs courses on Islamic spirituality.

Cakes & Breads will hold on-the-spot ketupat-weaving lessons. Founder Diyanah Gasper's company creates personalised cakes, unique pastries and delicious kuehs for all kinds of celebrations.

Food 'N' Such supplies halal and convenience foods. Available for catering, the company's menu includes dim sum, frozen dishes, air batu malaysia (ice lollies), bayam crisps (spinach leaf crisps), desserts, cakes and cookies.

Lully Selb marbled peplum top in white, black and gold. 

Lully Selb, a modest streetwear brand with original hand-illustrated prints.

Math Prodigies Learning Centre, specialising in helping primary and secondary school students with math, bringing them from F’s to A’s in as short a time as six months.

Peanut candy from Dubai

SADE olive soap.

Sade Trading, specialised in natural healing and natural remedies:

- Health consultations; natural remedies and therapy; hijamah/cupping
- Honey, essential oils, spices etc

Silat - the Malay art of self-defence.

Source: Sultan Cola website. Sultan Cola Classic.

Sultan Cola, a cola drink that includes a mixture of black seed* and natural flavours. Its composition is adapted for the halal and vegan market.

Source: TPSG website. This is the Maysaa Barbie L, which has a satin finish on one side, and a matte finish on the other side.

TPSG (TudungPeople Singapore) is known for premium tudungs in Singapore. The brand has more than 18,000 fans on social media, which TPSG attributes to the practicality, elegance, modesty and quality of its hijabs.

Wonderhandz, a group of professional housewives providing affordable Muslimah home therapy services such as spa facials and Balinese boreh body scrubs; home cleaning services and child minding services.

Free Food for All (FFFA), a non-profit private initiative to feed the less fortunate, regardless of race or religion.

Halal-U.com, a news portal focused on shari'ah-compliant equities.

Pergas Investment Holdings (PIH) is a shari'ah advisory firm that specialises in Islamic finance solutions that cover shari'ah advisory and consultancy, corporate and entrepreneur business advisory services.

As of May 2016, the shari'ah endorsement applies to the 12 regions where Walton-administered lands are located: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Texas, Tennessee and Oklahoma.

Interested?

Reserve a space for this invitation-only** event with an email to Faith Ong Yan Ying, VP, Walton via Yanying.ong at walton.com

Date: 27 July, 2016

Agenda***:
6pm: Registration and networking (dinner is provided)
7.19pm: Maghrib prayer**** led by Ustaz Mohammad Khairi bin Nazron
7.45pm: Ustaz Khairi speaks about Remembering Ramadhan
8pm: Interview with the FSAC: Walton and the Muslim community
8.15pm: Peace of Mind for Your Family's Future by Tee Wai Wai, Director of Sales, Walton International Group
9pm: Closing supplication by Ustaz Khairi, announcements

Venue: Raffles Place, Republic Plaza I, Level 35-01/02

Parking directions: Please keep left when entering the Republic Plaza car park. The entrance to the building is via the first floor of the main lobby. It costs S$3 every half-hour from Mondays to Fridays from 7am to 5pm, and S$3 per entry after 5pm. 

Interested?

Watch Ustaz Khairi speak on video in this Ramadhan series

*Prophetic medicines are those which the Prophet Muhammad is said to have recommended for improving health, and include products made from honey, herbs such as the Habbatus Sauda (also called black cumin or Nigella Sativa), camel milk and camel urine. Procedures such as cauterisation, wet cupping or hijama, and prayer are also recommended.

**The invitation is not an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any land investments, which may only be conducted using documentation prepared in accordance with applicable law. 

***Agenda and sideline activities are subject to change.

****Prayer facilities will be provided. Please come prepared if possible to avoid congestion in the bathroom area.

Ramadhan and Raya promotions in Singapore for 2016

Singapore companies are offering various promotions for Ramadhan and Hari Raya (Eid) in 2016.

Source: NTUC e-flyer.

NTUC supermarket's Hari Raya specials run till 22 June, at selected outlets. Promoted items are limited to four per customer.

The supermarket has also made up several hamper options as festive gifts.

Free festive packets (maximum of two per shopper) will be given out for purchases of S$30 and up, and there is an on-going lucky draw for purchases of at least S$50.

Download the promotion e-flyer (PDF)

Source: Giant website.

Giant's Ramadhan and Hari Raya promotion runs till 10 July. A microsite features recipes, a catalogue, as well as discounts categorised by spring-cleaning, food, air-conditioning, and general launches.

Source: StarHub website.

StarHub's Idaman Pack offers the first three months free. Idaman offers 12 Malay and Korean channels, including Astro Warna, Dunia Sinema On Demand and Indonesian business news channel MNC Business. It costs S$19.90 a month thereafter. To subscribe, StarHub users can login to modify subscription plans. Alternatively, tune in to any channel from the pack and press the blue button on your remote control to buy instantly. The promotion ends 18 July.

For Hari Raya a free preview of 10 channels is available on both StarHub TV (on cable and fibre) and StarHub Go. The preview, of

• Astro Warna (Malaysia's only comedy entertainment channel, channel 118)
• KBS World HD (K-dramas, K-pop, K-entertainment and K-documentaries with subtitles, channel 115)
• IDX (121)
• MNC Infotainment (170)
• MNC Channel (Indonesian general entertainment, 122)
• OH!K (talk shows, music programmes, variety shows, K=dramas, 816)
• ONE (the latest Korean dramas in English) (820)
• ONE (Malay) (124)
• ONE HD (823) and 
• Sensasi (Malay general entertainment, 123), is from 5 July 2016, 12pm to 11 July, 12pm. To preview the HD channels, a HD set top box is required.

When it comes to connectivity StarHub is offering six months of its HomeHub 1000 package free, together with  three months of its DreamWorks Pack. HomeHub costs S$66.60 per month thereafter. HomeHub 1000 is an integrated connectivity and entertainment offer, consisting of 1 Gbps Fibre broadband, up to 77 channels on Fibre TV, 21Mbps mobile broadband, unlimited local calls on the home phone as well as a S$8 HomeHub voucher every month. The DreamWorks Channel (channel 606), offers family TV entertainment in high definition. Terms and conditions apply. Sign up

The Hari Raya deal for broadband is S$29.90 a month for 300 Mbps fibre broadband. Terms and conditions apply. Sign up

Source: Lazada website.

Online marketplace Lazada is offering Hari Raya promotions all the way to 20 July. More than 800 items are available on a microsite, sorted into handy categories such as home improvement, cooking and eating together, capturing memories, and dressing to impress. There is even a Raya Bargain Bin.

The beverage companies are all out to get Eid business.

The Pepsi family, which includes 7 Up, Mirinda and Mug root beer, is running a Hari Raya promotion with halal-certified fast food brand Popeye's. 

The Pepsi family, which includes 7 Up, Mirinda and Mug root beer, is running a Hari Raya promotion with halal-certified fast food brand Popeye's. Purchase a 1.5l Pepsi or a participating brand to redeem a Popeye's combo meal.

Pokka Ice Peach Tea, Ice Lemon Tea and Ice Blueberry Tea have special Arabesque-inspired packaging for Hari Raya.

Pokka Ice Peach Tea, Ice Lemon Tea and Ice Blueberry Tea have special Arabesque-inspired packaging for Hari Raya.

F&N has added three limited edition Raya flavours: pineapple, pink grapefruit and fruitade. There are also two mutually exclusive promotions on. For the first promotion, customers can purchase of four cartons of F&N 1.5l participating brands (F&N Sparkling Flavoured Drinks, 100PLUS, F&N Seasons and Oishi Green Tea) at a participating outlet to redeem a WMF Touch Chef Knife. Or they may instead purchase two cartons of F&N 1.5l participating brands (F&N Sparkling Flavoured Drinks, 100PLUS, F&N Seasons and Oishi Green Tea) at a participating outlet to redeem two bottles of F&N Seasons Tea 1.5l. Receipts from participating outlets are valid from 1 June to 6 July 2016. Receipts must be presented at the point of redemption.

Marigold's Raya promotion: buy S$5 of participating products to be eligible for up to S$6,000 worth of Philips cooking appliances. 

Mango passionfruit is the limited edition Raya flavour from Fanta this year.

Source: Mr Bean website.

Mr Bean has a Hari Raya offer for soya chiffon cake and lapis cake, sourced from halal-certified Kedai Kue Kue. The Sedap Bundle, S$66.60, consists of one Lapis Rainbow cake (1kg) and two soya chiffon cakes (whole), freshly prepared exclusively for Mr Bean. Other bundles offer traditional kueh lapis, some with Mr Bean beverages. View all Hari Raya bundles at the e-shop

Prata Wala at Jurong Point has 10% discounts for takeaways of its Ramadhan sets, which cost from S$14.90 up and are available from 5pm to 9.30pm. The sets are priced higher than the lunch specials, but include dates, drinks and dessert.

posted from Bloggeroid

Geylang Serai Hari Raya bazaar full of festive cheer

The Geylang Serai lightup adds to the atmosphere.

The annual Geylang Serai Hari Raya bazaar is held throughout the month of Ramadhan in Singapore, and tends to draw crowds who shop for Eid and break their fast with traditional fair foods such as Ramly burgers and vadai.

The bazaar is the largest of its kind in Singapore, and is traditionally filled not only with stalls selling cooked food for breaking fast, but also henna artists, snacks for entertaining during Eid, as well as clothing and home decor - furniture, lamps, calligraphy, cushions and curtains.

Decorative cushions with a 'jewel' in the middle were going for about S$13 each.

Curtainland opposite the One KM Mall.

Khat in the kufic and tughra styles at this decal stall.

Khat in the sini style which is rare here. Sini is more ribbon-like. The calligraphy was mounted on silk as is traditional for Chinese brush artwork or paired with Chinese paintings. They also had framed khat on porcelain which you can see in the background. 

The 2015 crowd seemed a bit sparser than usual for a Saturday, even after sunset. While there were queues for the food, some stalls were practically deserted and there were even empty spaces where stalls had not been taken up. To be fair this was the last weekend before the school holidays ended, so families may have wanted to stay home.

The queues grew longer for the food after sunset.

Nevertheless, there is still a lot to see and sample.

This Muar sugarcane stall was quite popular.

The bright orange Thai iced tea had made a name for itself - I heard visitors saying they had to try it, and a queue had already formed by late afternoon. They already have a news article on them (framed, bottom left). The iced tea is S$3. They also had a Nutella milkshake for sale, hence the jars of Nutella in the foreground.

El 'Arabi is next to the Thai iced tea stall and along the road (Sims Drive), so quite easy to get to. It also attracted a long queue from late afternoon. The shawarma costs S$3. 

Another view of El 'Arabi, this time after sunset. The queue continues, though it had stopped for the Thai iced tea.

The buns for Ramly burgers are spread with margarine and toasted on the grill.

Ramly burgers are a mainstay at bazaars. This is mass production in action.

Deep fried vadai are another traditional favourite. There were queues outside this stall as well.

The Happy Rollies stall was doing a brisk business after sunset compared to the churros stall next to it. It claims to have savoury rolls of fried ice cream. The actual dish looked more like curls of normal ice cream. I couldn't get a good picture of it though.

Freshly grilled dendeng sitting in its own juices. S$5 for 100g. Dendeng is the halal version of bak kwa, an Asian form of meat jerky.

Drinks of different flavours on sale, from S$1 and upwards. Fruit punch, mango and lemon are featured here, with bird's nest just beyond.

Several stalls focused on home-made cookies and snacks for entertainment during Eid. Many offer samples.

Snacks were typically three for S$10 but a box of cookies like this would range from S$8 for a small jar to S$25 for the more elaborate ones. Makmur at 6 o'clock, cat's tongues in rainbow colours at 9 o'clock.

Marjan brand rose syrup on the left, and strawberry syrup with milk on the right. To be mixed for festive drinks at Eid rather than for breaking fast.

Clothing stalls are very common, mostly for the ladies, but also for men and children.

Headgear of all kinds from as low as three for S$5. These near the MRT station are S$5 but generally they averaged S$10 each.

These hangers are designed for separating scarves. S$6.90.

Black velvet songkoks for the guys, complete with rhinestone brooches, and sampin with designs picked out in gold and silver thread. These are part of the baju Melayu traditional costume.

Leather slippers for children and adults.

Then there were the quirky types:

Posters painted on wooden boards.

Emoji stuffed toys, anyone?

And in keeping with the spirit of Ramadhan, there were donation boxes for worthy causes.

A donation box for a mosque building fund, this one for Khadijah Mosque which is in Geylang.

Interested?

Get to the bazaar from Paya Lebar MRT station. Turn right once out of the Paya Lebar Square exit, and cross the road at the traffic lights, which are not working as this road has been closed. The bazaar is on the right. There is a smaller bazaar linked to the SingPost mall on the left.

Read the Suroor Asia blog post about Hungrygowhere's review of the food at the bazaar last year.