BERA, April 16 — The government is sticking to its stand to allow Malaysians to ‘balik kampung’ (return to hometown) to celebrate Aidilfitri, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

In fact, Ismail Sabri said, he had advised those he met, to celebrate Aidilfitri with their families after two years of not celebrating the festival in their hometowns and villages following the implementation of the movement control order to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He also said that as the Prime Minister he will do things differently this year by not holding an open house at the Seri Perdana on the first day of Aidilfitri, which is the norm for every Aidilfitri, to give the people the opportunity to celebrate the festival with their families first.

“I mentioned to them (whom I met) that their children can return home to celebrate (Aidilfitri) this year. I believe many were ‘balik kampung’ on the first day of Ramadan because the roads were badly congested then.

“This time, to give people the opportunity to ‘balik kampung” for raya, we will hold the Prime Minister’s Open House on May 8. Do ‘balik kampung’ to celebrate raya with family first, because the eve of raya has been awaited eagerly, to prepare for the celebration together,” he said.

Ismail Sabri, who is also Bera Member of Parliament, said this when met after presenting donations from the Petronas Foundation to the underprivileged including the poor, persons with disabilities (PwDs), orphans and single mothers at the Al-Muttaqin Mosque, Kampung Mengkarak here today.

However, in the excitement of returning to their hometown, the Prime Minister asked the public to continue to exercise self-control even though a lot of flexibility has been given after the country entered the transition to the endemic phase on April 1.

“Although self-control is not mandatory, the wearing of face masks is still mandatory. I hope everyone can continue practising self-control to ensure their own safety as well as of their family members and others even if there is no more physical distancing required,” he said.

Commenting on the donation, Ismail Sabri said the cash donation distributed today and tomorrow, to 4,800 recipients from around the Bera parliamentary constituency, was to help the recipients prepare to celebrate Aidilfitri.

Muslims in Malaysia are likely to celebrate Aidilfitri on May 3 and Ismail Sabri said the open house for the Bera parliamentary constituency will be held on May 7 at Dataran Kerayong here. — Bernama