‘It is a time when friends and neighbours, regardless of race and faith, bond with each other again, to celebrate friendship and solidarity.’
– Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas
MY friends, how was the Hari Raya Aidilfitri for you? Did you have a good time, playing host to your family members and friends or visiting them?
For the non-Muslims, did you go Hari Raya visiting?
As for me, the first two days of the celebration were quite memorable for me. I went Hari Raya visiting for the first time in many years.
On the first day, I visited Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s open house at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK).
The traffic jam in front of the centre was long while the queue up the escalator and to the dining hall was also exceptionally long.
Inside, the hall was divided into two sections; one was for the public while the other half was for the VIPs. As they walked past the waiters and waitresses, visitors could each pick a plate fully laden with rice and Hari Raya delicacies and the drinks they preferred and bring them to their tables.
As I was looking for my bosses, I ended up in the VIP section where the food was served in buffet-style. There I could eat and drink what I liked.
RELA and police personnel were everywhere, keeping a close watch on the visitors.
Later, I learnt that 13,000 visitors turned up at the Premier’s open house at BCCK on the first day.
The food in the VIP section was delicious and besides meeting some of my bosses and colleagues, I also caught up with some local dignitaries who often appeared in the news. I was happy to sit next to Serian MP Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem.
Though it was better to be late than never, I took the opportunity to thank him for sponsoring a group of Sarawak Commonwealth Journalists Association Association (CJA) on a trip to London, United Kingdom in 2012.
Caroline Jackson, who was the chairman of the association then, said Riot provided the association with some funds and helped the journalists to meet the Malaysian envoy in London.
I was in the Sarawak CJA group and we were enroute to Malta to attend an international CJA conference there.
Recently, Riot just smiled when I thanked him. Caroline later told me that she had thanked him but I’m sure he was happy to be thanked again for his kind deeds. With Riot was his wife who was dressed in a lovely kebaya.
Riot later introduced a friendly young man who sat opposite us as one of his three sons. The young man told me he was called MacLister.
The next day, I visited the open house of Satok assemblyman and Tribune Press chairman, Datuk Ibrahim Baki at Hikmah Exchange at Jalan Haji Taha.
The function was held on the ground floor and there, I had the opportunity to shake hands with the chairman and talk to his beautiful wife, Datin Noor Akmar Hamdan and their two daughters.
I also met my colleagues from Tribune and friends from our Bahasa Malaysia sister newspaper, Suara Sarawak.
Among the familiar faces I saw was Gerald Goh, an artist from the days when I wrote a column on art in the old Sarawak Tribune. In the distance, I saw some politicians from the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).
The food was served in buffet-style and a few of us, especially the women, loved the mee siam. I also loved the mee kolok and ais krim gula apong.
I left the venue after I ate my fill. While waiting outside for my son to pick me up, I saw a few buses parked at the entrance of the venue.
Many visitors walked up the steps to go into the dining hall. Some were beautifully dressed in elaborate native costumes with hornbill feather hats while others looked as if they were out for a simple shopping trip to the wet market.
The beauty of Malaysian open houses is that they are open to anyone; nobody stops you from visiting them if you are decently dressed.
I learnt later that 3000 people from diverse backgrounds including rural communities visited Ibrahim on the first day of his open house,
Ibrahim also told reporters at the open house that he chose to host his open house at the centre because of its strategic location and ample parking spaces.
Thank you, YB and Mr Chairman, for your foresight and kind consideration.
In retrospect, I am glad I visited the open house of the Premier as well as the open house of Tribune Press chairman. I truly enjoyed the delicious food and the good company.
Already, I am looking forward to next year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitrri. What about you, my friends?
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
