HARI Raya Aidilfitri or Eid Mubarak which is celebrated by Muslims across the globe marks the end of the month of Ramadan.
Muslim families usually gather together in the morning of the festival, wearing their new clothes to go to mosques and perform the Eid prayers.
It is also a tradition for family members to ask for forgiveness from their elders, which is an important ritual during the occasion.
Dishes like ketupat, lontong, rendang and other traditional delicacies are synonymous to the celebration, to be shared together as Hari Raya songs fill the air.
However, not all family members will be home as they have to fulfill their duty to keep the peace and harmony of the country, which is an unfortunate reality, including those from Sarawak.
“I really miss my family and my wife, we recently married. They are the most important people I want to celebrate Hari Raya with.
“I would love to see us all getting together, go to the mosque for prayers, asking for forgiveness from my parents, visiting my relatives and friends throughout the festival,” said 24-year-old Constable Muhammad Noriezzan Paijan.
Currently, he is stationed at the National Palace, Kuala Lumpur but disclosed that he will probably not come home to Kuching during Hari Raya.
Although Noriezzan is sad about not being able to return home for the first day of Hari Raya, he is committed to his duties.
“Insha’Allah, when the time comes, maybe when I am on my leave, I will fly back to Kuching and see my family and wife in Kampung Haji Baki because the festival is celebrated for a month.”
Meanwhile, Constable Mohd Azhar Zainudin, 25, is a marine policeman tasked with patrolling the waters off Sabah.
Also hailing from Kampung Haji Baki, he too is sad about not being able to be home on the first day of Hari Raya with his whole family and friends.
“It is sad that I cannot come home for this year’s Hari Raya, but safeguarding the nation’s waters is a top priority.
“I do miss my family and friends back in the village, getting together, taking a lot of pictures, visiting houses and most importantly asking for forgiveness from my parents during Hari Raya,” said Azhar.
Throughout two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has yet to come home.
However, he is patient and certain the time will come for him to return to hug his parents and siblings.
Also from the Marine Police Force Region 4 in Sabah, Lans Corporal Mohamad Ikhsan Mohamad Zaidi, 32, misses his parents and friends in Kuching, not to mention the food for Hari Raya.
“I really miss my parents and my friends. We used to celebrate the festival together and visited each other’s houses.
“Also, what I miss the most in Sarawak is the food. I miss the kek lapis (layered cake), the rendang, the Hari Raya kuih and biscuits,” he said, adding however that this was not his first time being away from home.
Ikhsan said, as a marine police personnel and a frontliner, duty comes first and that he needs to “fulfill his responsibility to safe guard the nation from any threats.”
He said he will probably be going home on the ninth day of Hari Raya.
