Shopping at Pekan Rabu in Kepala Batas

If there's one thing Penangite love, it's shopping. If there's one thing they love even more, it's shopping for quality items at bargain prices.

Hundreds of shops on the island and the mainland cater to the demands of shoppers from home and abroad. Suffice it to say that when it comes to shopping, there's no shortage of goods and sellers – whether it's an upmarket mall, modern retail outlets, quaint old shops or night markets. Unique to the northern states is another mode of shopping called Pekan Rabu, or Wednesday Market.

The idea behind the first Pekan Rabu came from a member of Kedahan royalty called Tunku Yaakob, after WW1. It was set up to encourage the Malays to take an active role in commercial activities, beginning as a weekly market (on Wednesdays) in Tanjung Chali, situated between Jalan Pekan Cina and Jalan Pengkalan Kapal, Alor Star. After business picked up, Pekan Rabu became a daily affair. Interestingly, the country's former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir was once a Pekan Rabu trader here before he entered politics.

A second Pekan Rabu was opened in the North, but this time in Penang in September 2005. Named after the late mother of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Bedawi, the four-storey Kompleks Pekan Rabu Datuk Kailan is located in his hometown, Kepala Batas. A total of 95 stalls have been allocated to cater to domestic and foreign shoppers looking for homegrown products. Among the products are books, footware, traditional medicine, traditional outfits, sarongs and assortment of local food item both fresh and preserved.

The Pekan Rabu in Kepala Batas will surely be a hive of activity during the month of Ramadhan. Stalls and shops selling freshly made sweets and savoury delights for the breaking of fast will be a crowd puller. During the approach of Syawal, shoppers will head for the clothing stores and tailors to buy new clothes, shoes and accessories for the celebration.

With another place to indulge, the Pekan Rabu market will definitely be a hit with shoppers and bargain-hunters, and transform the once sleepy hollow of Kepala Batas into a vibrant place. It will also become one of the important landmarks on the mainland. 

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