By Mohamad Harith Mohamad Nizar
IPOH: A self-service fruit stall in Kampung Lasah here runs on the principles of trust and honesty between the seller and customers.
Stall owner Nordin Mat Yazid, 63, said ‘Gerai Cik Din’ was set up along the main road near the Perlop junction square two weeks ago to allow him to better manage his time between work and other duties.
Assisted by his wife Aziati Mohd Salleh, 56, Nordin said customers can make payments either by placing cash into a money box or by scanning the QR code provided.
Nordin, who is physically disabled following an accident at the age of 19, said the self-service stall had previously been set up in front of his house for the past four to five years before being relocated to the roadside site to expand its market reach.
“After the recent durian season, I tried setting it up at the same location as my Durian Cik Din Lasah stall. This self-service fruit stall has been operating here for two weeks, and we placed a money box there, along with clearly displayed prices,” he told Bernama today.
Nordin said the stall, which operates from 8 am to 6 pm, sells various agricultural produce and local fruits such as bananas, young coconuts, dokong, mangosteen, bird’s eye chilli and banana blossoms, priced between RM2.50 and RM30.
On the possibility of the goods being stolen, Nordin said he had never encountered any theft since adopting the self-service concept. In fact, there were occasions when the amount of money collected exceeded the value of the items sold.
The business, which he runs based on trust, has received positive support from the local community, including nearby petrol station workers, road users and the Orang Asli community.
He said the main challenge at the new location was disturbances by monkeys from a nearby oil palm plantation behind the stall. However, the local community has helped to chase them away or inform him of their presence.
Besides selling at the stall, Nordin also provides free home delivery services for residents within a one-kilometre radius, especially for senior citizens.
He said for customers outside the range, including FELDA settlements up to 10 kilometres away, deliveries are still made with a minimal service charge or free of charge depending on the circumstances.
— BERNAMA
