Thirst quencher: People buying ais tingkap from a trader in George Town, Penang. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
Sales of coconut water, ais tingkap soar in George Town
GEORGE TOWN: Thirsty Malaysians on hot, sunny days are making coconut seller P. Rangal a happy man.
He could sell about 50 to 100 coconuts daily during “normal days” but the current hot spell had pushed his sale to about 200 coconuts every day.
“Coconut water has been in demand for the past few weeks,” said Rangal, 64.
He has been trading at Aboo Siti Lane for more than 25 years.
“Although sales is not like what it was before the pandemic, the current hot weather has prompted us to prepare more coconuts to cope with the demand,” he said.
Construction worker M. Prasad, 30, said the weather had been unbearable especially during the afternoon.
One way to cope with the heat, he said, was to quench his thirst with a fresh coconut drink.
Another stall selling coconut water nearby.
“This is one sure way of cooling down my body temperature during this hot season,” he added.
A check at public attractions found holidaymakers trying to escape the scorching heat by taking shelter at shaded areas or enjoying cold drinks available at the many stalls.
At Penang Road, a long line of people were seen queuing up for “ais tingkap” which is served in a tall glass of coconut water scented with rose syrup and shaved ice.
“This drink is perfect especially during the hot weather like this,” said civil servant Naziatul Shima Azome, 45.
She said her family loved the drink as it was not only sweet and refreshing but also thirst quenching.
Naziatul, who is from Alor Setar, said she would make sure to buy the drink whenever she visits Penang.
Ais tingkap stall owner Mohamed Almi Seeni Mohamad, 37, said his business has doubled in the past few weeks.
“The hot weather benefits traders like me. People want something cooling for their parched throats,” he said.
Mohamed Almi expects his sale to increase about 50% during the school holidays.
Other than ais tingkap, he also sells cendol which is just as popular among his customers.
State health committee chairman Daniel Gooi Zi Sen reminded people to stay hydrated and avoid excessive exposure to the hot sun these days.
“Keep hydrated by drinking a lot of plain water and try to minimise outdoor activities,” he said.
