Featured image adapted from TikTok.
With Hari Raya quickly approaching, Muslim men and women in Singapore are frantically preparing for festivities.
However, for this Malaysian man, his chance to celebrate Hari Raya with his family will have to wait — with borders still closed amid the ongoing pandemic.
The Malaysian man who goes by the handle @matd97 on TikTok, posted a video of him unboxing a package sent by his family back home.
The contents of the box include Hari Raya treats, a set of traditional Malay garments, and a prayer mat.
TikTok user @matd97 posted a video on Saturday (1 May) morning of him unboxing a package he received from his family back home in Malaysia.
Smiling as he fought back the tears, he revealed the contents of the package, which appeared to be for the upcoming Hari Raya celebrations.
The cardboard box was filled with Hari Raya kuih such as prawn rolls and mini epok-epoks.
There was also a new set of baju kurung and a prayer mat.
He captioned the video,
Received this from my kampung. Feeling choked up early in the morning as I opened this box…
He accompanied the caption with 2 hashtags, “#rayadiperantauan” and “#rindukeluarga“, which translate to ‘Raya Abroad’ and ‘Missing Family’.
As a Malaysian working in Singapore, returning home for the yearly celebrations was not an option due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Many other Malaysians who are in the same boat expressed their sympathies for the young man in the comments section of the video.
A user commented in Malay, “This year many experience the same fate. Let’s be strong together and pray for our families back home.”
Others offered words of encouragement, telling the man to stay strong and optimistic about meeting his family again soon.
The Malaysian man also explained the reason for his tears.
The main reason I’m sad is because of the prayer mat my mum gave…that’s why my tears fell. may children living abroad stay strong.
He also left a comment to thank everyone for their kind words, apologising for not being able to reply to all of them individually.
He explained that the aim of the video was just to share his story, as he wishes for everyone to remember the people they love.
We can only imagine what it’s like to not see our family for a very long time, missing out on important milestones and celebrations.
Like many other Malaysians, @matd97 crosses the borders in search of a better life for his family. But this doesn’t come without its sacrifices.
We hope that he can find the strength to tide through this period, and the hope to reunite with his family when the situation permits.
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Featured image adapted from TikTok.
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