Illuminated: Vibrant lighted structures adorn a home in Kampung Nombor for the “bertuntung” competition in Satok state constituency. — Bernama
KUCHING: The tradition of “bertuntung” or decorating the house with oil lamps ahead of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration, is still being practised by the Malay community in Sarawak.
A check by Bernama in Kampung Nombor here found that oil lamps are still the choice, with almost all houses in the area choosing to display a combination of both oil lamps and electric lights. Some houses have displayed unique structures like gates decorated with lights at their entrances, adding to the overall appeal of the neighbourhood.
Zulaikha Ramzi, 35, chooses traditional oil lamps over modern electric lights for their unique charm, despite the availability of more colourful options.
She said she spent about RM1,000 to buy various types of lamps, including oil lamps, to decorate the family residence, complete with a photo booth.
“This has been our family tradition for years, and we are setting up these lights 10 days before the Hari Raya celebration until Aidiladha later.
“Although the cost of electricity is high, for example, last year we incurred about RM800 for the electricity bill compared with the usual RM300, this is a family tradition that we need to continue,” she told Bernama.
Meanwhile, Kampung Nombor Friendly Neighbourhood Area chairman Sahari Bordi, 53, said that this year, a total of 17 houses participated in the “bertuntung” competition in the Satok state constituency.
The competition, in collaboration with Kuching North City Hall, offered prizes worth RM300 to RM500 for the winners, he said.
