KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 — Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is thankful that Malaysians can still celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri in a peaceful manner.

He said Malaysians could still be with their closest family members and stay in contact with those far away via phone.

"Like others, I too use technology such as Zoom to connect, see the faces of and communicate with other family members… it helps ease the longing despite not being able to be celebrate Aidilfitri together,” he said in his Facebook post today.

Muhyiddin said he also thought of the plight of the Palestinians, who would not be able to celebrate Aidilfitri after their homes were bombed by Israeli jets and rockets.

"It’s a big test that they are being forced to face at a time when other Muslims are busy celebrating Aidilfitri. So, let us all together pray that Allah will protect the Palestinian people.

"Let us all be grateful for the blessings as citizens of this earth when other countries are facing bitter ordeals,” he said.

The Prime Minister had earlier shared the atmosphere at his home on the morning of Hari Raya, with him having the opportunity to be the imam for the Aidilfitri prayers with his family members and helpers in an environment that is different than usual.

He said that the spread of Covid-19 and existence of new variants with very high infectivity rates had stifled daily activities and routines, requiring everyone to celebrate Aidilfitri in a different way compared to previous years.

"This year, we again have to celebrate Aidilfitri in our own homes just like last year and, like other parents, I too felt sad this Syawal morning because I couldn’t be with my children, their spouses and our grandchildren as they are from other districts.

"It is also sad when I could only recite the ‘takbir raya’ (calls to glorify Allah) this year with just my family members, not at the mosque or surau like how it used to be before the pandemic,” he said, while admitting that it was indeed a strange and difficult experience. — Bernama