To a better down
Some Malaysians were still crowding the highways to balik kampung for Hari Raya Aidilfitri despite the restriction on interstate travel. But those affected by Covid-19 remind that the movement ban is a necessary sacrifice for a better tomorrow.
HARI Raya Aidilfitri this year will be a bittersweet celebration for Mohamad Mahfuz Shaharudin. Bitter because he won’t get to balik
kampung to his hometown in Kelantan. Sweet because both his parents have recently recovered from Covid-19.
“Covid-19 personally affected my family as both my parents got infected with the virus. Thankfully they have fully recovered and have been discharged, all thanks to the frontliners at Hospital Sungai Buloh,” the 30-year-old management consultant says.
Mahfuz’s father, who is a doctor, contracted the virus when he was treating a patient. Dr Shaharudin Mohamad then transmitted it to his wife.
“My dad had it worse because he was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for more than a month,” Mahfuz explains.
That harrowing experience made the family more appreciative towards the movement control order (MCO) and subsequently the conditional movement control order (CMCO) that were implemented to curb the spread of Covid-19 in Malaysia.
But the measures to fight the coronavirus also means that Hari Raya celebrations will be a very different one for Malaysians this year.
When Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the CMCO is extended until June 9, he also confirmed that interstate movement to balik kampung is not allowed.
Mahfuz thinks it’s a good decision which can reduce the risk of infections spreading across states.
“We are still in the middle of containing the virus, so it is not wise to be travelling across the state which will increase the possibility of virus infections especially to the old people which are very vulnerable to the virus,” he says.
Apart from the restrictions on interstate travel, Malaysians are only allowed to hold celebrations on the first day of Hari Raya. A maximum of 20 family members are allowed in a house, provided the space is large enough to comfortably accommodate that many visitors.
Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob advised the public to use their discretion on how many people should be together at one time.
For many Malaysians, the balik kampung (returning to one’s hometown) experience is an emotional call that is part and parcel of many major celebrations.
It’s also one of the main forms of domestic travel in the country, and travel advisory alerts are regularly issued to reduce congestion on interstate highways.
This year, Mahfuz is celebrating Hari Raya with just his nuclear family in Kuala Lumpur. He says he will miss the festive environment in Kota Baru, Kelantan.
“Both our paternal and maternal grandparents’ house is quite near, so every Hari Raya morning we will visit both places and celebrate with everyone.
“Hari Raya at the kampung is very lively and festive as our family is big and that is one of the times which all of us can gather together,” Mahfuz says, adding that he always looks forward to the traditional Kelantanese dish, ayam kuzi.
Although he is sad he won’t be able to celebrate Hari Raya with the extended family in Kelantan, Mahfuz says they plan to stay connected using technology.
“We will leverage on any video conferencing app either by using Zoom, Skype, Whatsapp or Facetime. Our plan is to be fully clothed in our Hari Raya attire and celebrate through video call.
“We are also planning to record each family’s Hari Raya wishes and send it to everyone,” he says.
A lonely celebration
Another important aspect of Hari Raya for
Muslims is the kissing of their parents’ hands to seek forgiveness. Iklil Fatihah Kamal Redzuan, unfortunately, will not be able to embrace her parents this Hari Raya.
Iklil is based in KL where she works as a public relations officer at a government enforcement agency, while the rest of her immediate family members are in Johor Baru.
Her family would usually return to her father’s hometown in Perak. But they will be celebrating Hari Raya in Johor this year, without Iklil.
“I am the only one living far away from the family home. All my family members are in one roof except for me.
“I have never thought about celebrating Hari Raya on my own without my family by my side. And the fact that it is only threeand-a-half hours’ drive; we are so close, yet so far,” the 24-year-old fresh graduate says.
Iklil hasn’t had any physical contact with her loved ones since the MCO started on March 18. She gathers that she will probably celebrate the first day of Hari Raya at the office – or not celebrate at all.
“I have bought new baju kurung, so perhaps I would wear it on the first day of Hari Raya, watch sad Hari Raya advertisements and cry all day long,” she says, with a little laugh.
Although it’s possible to celebrate with friends who are also stuck in the city, Iklil says there are a lot of precautionary measures to think about. She would rather not take any chances.
“I think it would be the loneliest Hari Raya I have ever encountered in my life,” she shares.
Ironically, Iklil says she will