PETALING JAYA: Many Malaysians have packed their bags and returned to their hometowns to shop, cook and gotong-royong (work together) to clean their homes for Hari Raya Aidilfitri with the family.
Terengganu-born Wan Norshira Wan Mohd Ghazali left Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to avoid the traffic jam.
Wan Norshira
“I’m travelling to Kelantan from Terengganu to meet my in-laws and do some last-minute shopping,” she told The Star yesterday.
Wan Norshira said it was tradition for her family to go Raya shopping at Wakaf Che Yeh in Kota Baru for necessities, adding that she would be looking for outfits for her children, too.
“I am excited about Raya this year because it has been a while since we’ve had the freedom to go out and shop as we like,” said the lecturer.
Wan Norshira is also planning to clean her parents’ house with her siblings and change the curtains for Hari Raya.
Customer consultant Ain Naim, 25, returned to her hometown in Kluang, Johor Baru a week before Hari Raya to shop for new clothes with her family and to celebrate the end of Ramadan.
“I feel very happy to be able to spend this festive time with my family. I decided to go back a week early because I wanted to fast with my family before Hari Raya.
Ain
“My family will be donning dark purple outfits. I went back early so I could shop for Raya clothes with them,” she added.
Ain said that in keeping with tradition, her family will be going to their grandmother’s house to gotong-royong on Sunday and prepare for the special day.
“Usually, we will go to our grandmother’s a few days before Hari Raya to clean up, and we will also be cooking festive delicacies such as rendang, lontong and kuah kacang to eat with ketupat and lemang,” she said, adding that she won’t be visiting her relatives this year.
Hidayath Hisham, 24, left for his hometown in Kuantan, Pahang, on Thursday to avoid the heavy traffic, too.
“I feel so happy I feel like crying because after two years of celebrating in Kuala Lumpur with my housemates, I finally get to celebrate Hari Raya with my family.
“We will only be cooking on Hari Raya morning. Usually, my mum will make dry chicken curry to eat with ketupat daun palas or soto. Those are our must-haves.
“After that, we will go to our grandmother’s to share a meal together,” said the content creator.
While some have already balik kampung, other Malaysians like Zuleikha Iskandar, 31, are planning to do some last-minute shopping with their special Employees Provident Fund (EPF) withdrawal.
“I will be celebrating my first day of Raya in Kuala Lumpur so I am planning to buy some festive lights to liven things up and a new carpet since mine is already worn out.
“I also plan to buy some ingredients to cook Raya dishes for my family, such as rendang and nasi daging, and will also be treating them to anything they need for the celebration, such as clothes or scarves,” the insurance agent said.
She said she is also saving some of her EPF money in an investment account.
Insurance and takaful adviser Nazurah Husna, 29, will be investing her money and settling her debts with her EPF withdrawal.
“I want to settle my debts, which are around RM4,000. Then I will diversify the money and open an Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) account.
“I was laid off due to the pandemic and had to terminate my ASB account, so I plan to reopen it,” she said.