Oil lamps to liven up festivities despite CMCO

PADANG RENGAS, May 21  -- Although Hari Raya this year will be celebrated under different circumstances following the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), there is no stopping Kampung Ribu residents here from making sure it will be just as joyful and happening.

 For starters, it has become a tradition for them to put up bamboo oil lamps around the premises during the ‘Malam Tujuh Likur’ (the last ten days of Ramadan) to usher in Aidilfitri.

Nur Hidayah Mohd Sabri, 20, said she and her dad Mohd Sabri Mustafa, 49, will keep the family age-old tradition alive by putting up 500 oil lamps on 50 bamboo torches.

The eldest of two siblings said the family only takes one day to install the decorations which involves a 500-metre bamboo stick. 

“The only difference is that this year we are doing it on a small scale due to CMCO. The bamboo will be cut and shaped into a dome of a mosque with the theme “Kita Jaga Raya Kita” (we take care of our Raya), which was my dad’s idea,” she said when met here recently.

Meanwhile, Kampung Ribu Residents Association chairman Amiruddin Mohd Lazim said ten entries for the oil lamp competition were received this year.

“Given the current situation with the MCO and all, we have taken the initiative not to have the oil lamp display on a large scale.

“However, we want to keep this tradition alive so we have made some slight adjustments by having the individual entries at the homes of the participants on condition that it must be done by them.  

He said, besides the prizes, the winner will represent the area for the parliamentary-level oil lamp competition.

-- BERNAMA