MUSLIM CELEBRATE AIDILFITRI

KUALA LUMPUR: Muslims in the country celebrated Aidilfitri on a moderate scale this year, mindful of the soaring prices of almost everything following the fuel price hike.

After fasting for a month, they started the day with prayers at mosques and surau (shrines) nationwide followed by visits to the graves before holding open house to welcome relatives and friends.

At Masjid Negara, Yang diPertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah performed the Aidilfitri prayers with more than 5,000 people.

They were accompanied by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and several cabinet ministers and Muslim foreign diplomats.

After the prayers, Tuanku Mizan and Abdullah exchanged greetings with the congregation.
Tuanku Mizan later hosted a reception for the cabinet ministers, foreign diplomats and other dignitaries at Istana Negara.

In KANGAR, the cloudy weather and intermittent rain did not deter the people from visiting each other.

The Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail and Raja Perempuan of Perlis Tuanku Tengku Fauziah Abdul Rashid joined their subjects in Aidilfitri prayers at Masjid Negeri, Arau.

They were accompanied by the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail and Raja Puan Muda of Perlis Tuanku Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil.

They held an open house for their subjects at Istana Arau from 9.30am to 11.30am.

In KUALA KANGSAR, the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, prayed at Masjid Ubudiah in Bukit Chandan with about 2,000 of his subjects.

The Raja Muda of Perak, Dr Raja Nazrin Shah, Raja Di Hilir Perak, Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin and Muslim state executive councillors were also present.

Mohammad Nizar and other state dignitaries attended a Hari Raya reception at Istana Iskandariah. The Menteri Besar will hold open house at his official residence in Jalan Sultan Idris, Ipoh, from 2pm.

In KUANTAN, Pahang’s Sultan Ahmad Shah, accompanied by Sultanah Kalsom, Tengku Mahkota Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad and several state leaders, joined 3,000 people in performing Aidilfitri prayers at Masjid Tengku Ampuan Afzan.

Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Adnan Yaakob held open house at Dewan Jubli Sultan Ahmad Shah from 10am to 3pm.

In KUCHING, Sarawak Yang diPertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng prayed with about 5,000 people at Masjid Jamek Petra Jaya.
Present were Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and other state cabinet ministers.

After the prayers, Abang Muhammad Salahuddin and his wife, Toh Puan Norkiah Abdullah held an open house at di Astana Negeri, Petra Jaya, while Taib’s open house was held at Stadium Perpaduan, Petra Jaya.

In PENANG, Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas and his wife, Toh Puan Majimor Shariff prayed at Masjid Negeri.

In KOTA BARU, the Sultan of Kelantan, Tuanku Ismail Petra Sultan Yahya Petra, and Raja Perempuan Tengku Anis Abdul Hamid prayed at Masjid Muhammadi and later held an open house at Istana Balai Besar at about 9.30am before visiting the royal mausoleum in Langgar at 10am.

Meanwhile, Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat held an open house at his residence in Pulau Melaka after the Aidilfitri prayers.

In Malacca, Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam joined about 10,000 Muslims in performing Aidilfitri prayers at Masjid AlAzim di Bukit Palah.

Mohd Khalil held an open house at Istana Melaka, Bukit Beruang, from 9am to 1pm while Mohd Ali welcomed guests at his official residence in Seri Bendahara, Ayer Keroh, from 10am to 3pm.

In KUALA TERENGGANU, President of the Regency Advisory Council, Tengku Sri Panglima Raja Tengku Baderulzaman Sultan Mahmud, Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said and his wife, Toh Puan Norliza Mahmud, and several other state leaders prayed with about 3,000 people at Masjid Abidin.

In KOTA KINABALU, Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Ahmadshah joined about 4,000 people in Aidilfitri prayers at Masjid Negeri.

He and his wife, Toh Puan Dayang Masuyah Awang Japar, later held an open house at Istana Negeri from 10am to 10.30am for state cabinet ministers and assistant ministers, 10.30am to 11am for dignitaries and from 11am to 1pm for the public.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman held an open house at the Likas Sports Complex multipurpose hall.

In JOHOR BARU, about 2,000 Muslims prayed with the Tunku Mahkota of Johor, Tunku Ibrahim Ismail, at Masjid Sultan Abu Bakar.

Present were the Raja Muda of Johor, Tunku Ismail Ibrahim, Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman and Muslim state executive councillors and senior government officers.

In ALOR STAR, the Sultan of Kedah, Tuanku Abdul Halim and Tuanku Sultanah and Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak, prayed with the people at Masjid Zahir.

In KUALA PILAH, the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Ja’afar, and Tunku Ampuan Tuanku Najihas prayed at Masjid Diraja Tuanku Munawir in Seri Menanti together with Menteri Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Mohamad later held an open house at the satate assembly compound in Seremban from 10am to noon. -- Bernama