The traditional Open House Aidilfitri’s celebration was held at RUMAH Malaysia in Al Jasra, Kingdom of Bahrain on 1 Syawal 1436H. Those present at this auspicious occasion were diplomats, international and local dignitaries, business communities, media personalities and also Malaysians in Bahrain as well as those who came from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Besides the ASEAN Ambassadors from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, other ASEAN-Plus envoys from China, Japan, Republic of Korea, India, Russia, the US, and Pakistan as sectoral dialogue partner were also in attendance at the Open House Aidilfitri, which reflected the true spirit of 1Malaysia-style of harmony, peace and, above all, the overwhelmingly values and culture of acceptance and diversity, like a melting-pot that Malaysia is.
The Malaysian envoy to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Ambassador Dato’ Ahmad Shahizan Abd Samad, his wife and the home-based staff of the Embassy hosted the Open House Raya from 11.00 a.m. till 6.00 p.m., virtually the whole day of merrymaking. It was a joyous celebration and the guests were indulged with the various Malaysian cuisines and traditional delicacies. Among the favourite home-made menu offered were ‘lemang, ketupat, nasi impit, rendang, serunding, laksa Penang, lontong, nasi tomato, nasi kerabu, kuih-muih (tat-nenas, bangkit kelapa)’ and, of course, the must-have ‘teh-tarik’.
More than 150 guests joined in the Open House Aidilfitri’s festivity and also fellow Malaysians who crossed the King Fahd Causeway from Al Khobar, Dammam and Jubail in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ambassador Shahizan also took the opportunity to address the guests with his welcoming remarks, which among others he thanked them for gracing the Eid’s celebration and further emphasized that Malaysia being a multiracial and multicultured society, this Open House tradition has been widely practiced and shared amongst the diverse and multicultural communities in Malaysia. And thus, this year’s Open House Aidilfitri would be celebrated through the whole month of Syawal and, perhaps, spilled over a few days thereafter. In addition, Ambassador Shahizan extend his invitation to all the distinguished guests, including Malaysians to visit Malaysia this year during the Year of Festivals 2015 (MYFEST 2015) to experience the magical holidays of the various festivals celebrated by Malaysia’s multicultural society.
In the meantime, student Mohd Azrin Hilmi bin Mohd Nor Azmi, 19, a first year student at Curtin University, Sarawak Campus, Malaysia, came back, rather ‘balik kampung’ to Bahrain to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri with his parents and other siblings. His father, Haji Mohd Nor Azmi bin Soehod, a Project Management and Chartered Quantity Surveyors at Hisham Abdulrahman Jaffer (H.A.J), has been working and living in Bahrain since 2008.
A former Ambassador of Singapore, H.E. Mr. V.K. Rajan is a Senior Consultant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain has been working here for the last 5 years. He shared his feeling of sentimental homesickness in Malaysia and Singapore, where the traditions and culture of celebrating Hari Raya have been nostalgic and reminiscent of the spirit of harmony and unity. He further elucidated this tradition was a testament of the ‘Kampung spirit’ that is still kept alive in modern times.
Among the first to arrive at RUMAH Malaysia was, Mr. Ashraf Al-Marzouq, a Bahrain TV Reporter of Saudi Arabia’s New Channel in Bahrain. He was mesmerized by the great spirit of the Open House’s concept, a Malaysian tradition of its multicultural society. Furthermore, he would be looking forward to participate in the next FAM Tour Malaysia in mid-August 2015, which is being organized by TOURISM Malaysia. Enchanted by the Malaysian atmosphere, his upcoming visit to Malaysia would enthuse him greatly to write and video-taping some of the interesting and exciting places, events, cultures and people in Malaysia.
For another Bahraini corporate figure, Mr. Raed Al-Absi, Advisor and Project Manager to the National Oil and Gas (NOGA) of Bahrain, was comfortably at home at this Open House Aidilfitri. Having travelled upteem times on business and private visits to Malaysia, he is truly looking forward to make Malaysia My Second Home and further hope that there will be a direct flight between Kuala Lumpur and Manama, Bahrain in the near future.