KOTA KINABALU: Rahmah Abd Kadir was “breathless” when a familiar figure dropped by her cake stall at the Ramadan bazaar in the southwestern Papar town.

“I was frying kuih pajaram when I heard a voice. I looked up and there was the Prime Minister.

“I was so excited to see him that I could not hold back my breath,” she said yesterday.

Rahmah, 53, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak asked her whether she sold cakes and other homemade treats such as pineapple tarts and cookies during the Ramadan month.

“I told him that I sell the cakes at the Sunday market.

Fresh from the grill: Najib and Musa (right) during their impromptu visit to a Ramadan bazaar in Papar.

“He was really interested to know,” she added.

The mother of three said she was happy to see Najib at the bazaar.

“He is the type of leader who

has the people’s interests at heart,” she added.

Kerepek pisang (banana chips) vendor Fatimah Moksin, 46, was also happy to be able to meet Najib up close.

“But, I’m a little disappointed that he only stayed for a minute at my stall,” she added.

Najib, who was accompanied by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, was greeted by a large crowd on his arrival at the bazaar.

He spent nearly an hour walking around the market, stopping frequently to chat with stall owners and the people.

He later headed to Bongawan town, about 60km away to attend a buka puasa event with the people there.

Najib also met Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who joined him to break fast at Bongawan.

Yang was scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Malaysian counterpart Datuk Anifah Aman today.

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