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View all search results1,000 Indonesians celebrate Idul Fitri at RI consulate in Kota Kinabalu
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Courtesy of the Indonesian consulate general, Kota Kinabalu.
Indonesians living in Sabah state and the surrounding area worship during the Idul Fitri prayers at Indonesia’s consulate general compound in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia on Wednesday. After the mass prayers, they wished each other well and joined the festivities.
(HON KJRI/dok KJRI Kinabalu)
T
he Indonesian community in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia has found the consulate-general compound in the city to be a special place to celebrate Idul Fitri.
Not only could around 1,000 Indonesian students, migrant workers and consulate staff observe Idul Fitri prayers to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan at the consulate on Wednesday, but also to meet friends, relatives and devour a wide variety of Idul Fitri dishes from opor ayam (chicken cooked in coconut milk and spices) and kerupuk (flour crackers), to kue pisang (steamed banana cake wrapped in banana leaves).
A migrant worker from Andonara, East Nusa Tenggara province, Muhammad Iqbal, said he and his friends planned ahead to spend their time in prayer at the consulate and to get together to enjoy the festivities of Idul Fitri.
“The atmosphere resembles my kampung back home, we gather in hospitality and eat ketupat [rice cakes cooked in plaited young coconut leaves],” Muhammad said.
His fellow migrant worker, Udin Bin Ladala, said he rented a car from Marudu, 95 kilometer from Kota Kinabalu as he didn’t want to miss the event. “We share the fee for the rented car just to get to the consulate on time, observe Idul Fitri prayers and enjoy the festivities with others,” he said as quoted in a press release by the Indonesian consulate general’s office on Wednesday.
Those attending the event were not only Muslims as the “open house” was for all Indonesians, regardless of religion. “Some of my friends are not Muslim, but they join us at this joyous event because it is hard to meet each other during the year. It’s a rare occasion,” Udin said.
Indonesian Consul General Akhmad DH Irfan said he had invited all Indonesians to come to the open house event and to feel as if the compound was their home. There are 500,000 Indonesians living in Sabah, mostly working for palm plantations.
“Even though we are far away from our hometowns, this could be the place to fulfill our longing for home,” he said after the mass prayers.
Imam Muhammad Nur Bachtiar led the mass prayers while Muchlis Kasim delivered the sermon, focusing on the essence of the 30-day fasting that strengthened compassion for others. (Yoh)
