BY NURFARAHIN OKI & VIVYNNA ANN CHABU
The Hari Raya celebrations are a vibrant showcase of colour and tradition, with the public open houses exemplifying community spirit and unity.
On Sunday, thousands gathered at the Hikmah Exchange Event Centre for the Hari Raya open house hosted by the chief political secretary to the Premier, Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman.
As the doors opened, attendees were enveloped in the celebratory atmosphere.
New Sarawak Tribune spoke with several guests who attended the event, capturing their impressions and experiences.
John Goh Kok Siew, 30
Customer service executive
This is my first public open house, and I came here because my friend invited me. Honestly, I didn’t expect so many people to come here; it is lively, and the food keeps coming. It does feel a bit crowded, and you are not sure of the protocol and procedures, but apparently, you just come, line up for food, and have fun. The only drawback is the restricted seating, but that is what makes it enjoyable since you can mingle with people and feel like a true Sarawakian.
Christy Yang, 31
Communications executive
The public open house is very intriguing, and it is actually my first time coming to this kind of event. The food is really good, and my favourite cuisine here is wantan; the taste really suits my appetite. I think this year’s Raya is a lot more vibrant than last year. For me, Raya in Sarawak is not that prominent, but it is much more like a gathering, where you eat and chat with people.
Muttiah Pillai, 43
Sarawak Kabaddi Association president
I represent the Sarawak Kabaddi Association, and it is an annual practice for us to visit him on these days. As a Sarawakian, I am accustomed to the Raya season, which is presently in full swing and will last seven days. There is a cosmopolitan environment in Sarawak, and everyone celebrates Raya for seven days, as do Chinese New Year, Deepavali, and other races’ festivities. Because of COVID-19, the open houses were only held on a limited scale until 2020. This year’s open house, however, is more extensive than any year after COVID-19.
Muhaimi Minan, 46
Civil servant
As someone who attended this public open house for the first time, the environment is quite festive. Before this, I never got the chance to join any public open house because I only celebrated Raya at my house. I had the opportunity to attend this public open house because I had some free time and I wanted to immerse myself with the crowd to feel the Hari Raya celebration. The cuisine that I’m eyeing is ‘lemang’ because it was my favorite food during Hari Raya and interestingly, I found it here.
