by Shameera Nair Lin
First Eid Out of Lockdown at YTL
When the relaxation of lockdown regulations started taking hold in Malaysia earlier in 2022, it came as an enormous shift from the digital celebrations we had grown so accustomed to. For those celebrating, this would mark the first year of festivities where physical gatherings were possible, where loved ones could once again create shared memories without having to resort to digital means entirely. In the spirit of commemorating such joy, we decided to speak with a few YTL employees about their plans right before Eid itself.
Rozania Binti Mohd Khir – known as Oja to peers – expressed delight at finally being able to go beyond borders. She is currently in London with her family, having opted for a family trip abroad.
Oja’s overseas Raya celebration
Some, on the other hand, have chosen to remain close to home in spite of open borders. Zaiton Hashim, an office manager, chose to return to her hometown of Kedah and to visit Perak right after, celebrating with her in-laws. Nur Syuhada Binti Muhamad, a Graphic Designer and Copywriter at YTL Construction, is especially excited about returning home to her kampung for a celebration with her mum and other family members. It is, to her, the perfect time for a family photo.
Syuhada’s family photos
\When we ask each of them what they are most excited about, the answer is unanimous: food and family, equally, because there is simply no way of choosing between one or the other. “My sister’s serunding ikan with ketupat palas and nasi tomato, my late father’s favourite,” says Zaiton, while Syuhada speaks of her mum’s chicken rendang and kuah lodeh, speaking to the significance of sharing food as a way of commemorating life during festivities.
Zaiton: My brother and sister-in-law are one of the best chefs in our family! Our main dishes for Raya 2022 were nasi kambing, air asam, serunding ikan, ketupat palas.
Oja tells us about the importance of quality face-to-face time with loved ones, where spending time with her family during the festive season itself is the most important part of the season to her.
One thing is certain: all of them appreciate being able to simply be in the presence of others during the festive season.
