PETALING JAYA: While many Malaysians are on their balik kampung journey, if not already back in their hometowns, for the Hari Raya festivities, some are looking forward to intimate celebrations with family in the city and taking advantage of smaller crowds for their last-minute shopping.
Mother-of-two Aisha Ahmad said she enjoys the weekend before Raya when most people have travelled out of town.
Proud to call Kuala Lumpur her home, the 36-year-old always waits to buy biscuits two or three days before Aidilfitri when prices at kiosks in malls usually drop sharply.
But there is one thing she is cautious about buying ahead of the holidays.
“A lot of meat sellers require advance bookings when it gets closer to Hari Raya. That’s the one thing I will never try to buy at the last minute,” she said.
Her plans for the first day of Raya include a good meal with her family members, aunties, uncles and cousins who all live in the Klang Valley.
Government officer Hidayatul ‘Ein Mohamad Azmi, 50, will not be returning to her parents’ hometowns in Johor and Kedah for the occasion this year.
“Since my grandfather passed and my parents settled in the city, we have been celebrating the first day of Raya in Kuala Lumpur,” she said.
Hidayatul ‘Ein, too, is hoping for a better shopping experience now that most people have left town.
“I don’t like shopping when the place is very crowded, so I’m hoping these next few days will be a good time to go,” she said.
Salesman Muhamad Johari Yaakob is looking forward to a “pretty relaxed” time this Raya.
The 31-year-old said day one of Hari Raya for him typically includes a visit to the mosque in the morning, a trip to a coffee shop right after, and a short rest in the afternoon before visiting the family in the evening.
Originally from Sabah, Muhamad Johari doesn’t travel back to his hometown to celebrate as most of his immediate family now reside in the city.
While the first day is reserved for his closest loved ones, Muhamad Johari plans to visit open houses in the following days.
“That’s why Raya is celebrated for a full month,” he added.
Solar engineer Adly Harith Abdul Khair, 29, said the trip back to Seremban for Raya used to be a regular occurrence, but after their family members moved to Kuala Lumpur for work following graduation and marriage, the ‘balik kampung’ trips have become less frequent.
This year, it will be an intimate celebration among close family members.
“Normally, we clean and decorate the house and cook together before we host an open house for our family, friends and neighbours.
“But this Raya, it’ll be a small do at my mum’s place, where we plan to order in, take some family photos, play board games and catch up with each other,” he said.
Thanks to his mum, Adly Harith doesn’t have to worry about last-minute shopping.
“Now, I get my biscuits for free from my mum’s shop,” he said.
The only things he intends to buy in the coming days are Negri Sembilan staples like daging maman and daging salai as well as Raya classics like rendang and lemang.
Despite a slight shift in traditions, the essence of celebration remains the same for most – quality time with family and good food, be it in their kampung or in the city.
