1.   It also coincided with the final weeks of the buying season before the Muslim fasting period of Ramadan and the Chinese New Year.

2.   Adopted for the Christian calendar, it marks a time for letting off steam before the fasting period of Lent, which starts Wednesday and lasts until Easter.

3.   During the Muslim fasting period of Ramadan this month, hundreds of Islamic officials will prowl throughout Malaysia to catch people secretly gulping down snacks.

4.   The takbir signals the end of the month-long fasting period.

5.   But the district was also a hub of everyday activities, its cafes full in the evenings after the fasting period.