Frontliners don uniforms instead of baju raya

2026-03-21 - 02:30

A nurse, a firefighter and three police officers share how they will spend Hari Raya Aidilfitri on duty, ensuring the public can celebrate the festive season safely. PETALING JAYA: As many Malaysians wake up on Aidilfitri morning to the aroma of rendang and ketupat at home, 30-year-old Nurfhazlina Mohamad will begin another work day in the critical care ward of a hospital. The nurse, who is from Lahad Datu, Sabah, has worked at Subang Jaya Medical Centre for five years, but this year marks the first time she will be on duty on the first morning of Syawal, not in the company of family and friends at her beloved hometown. “It is quite different because I will be working in the morning, hearing the takbir raya, but I have to work instead of being with my family,” she told FMT, adding that patients continue to need care despite the festive season. Nurfhazlina said Hari Raya usually means laughter, home-cooked meals and long-awaited reunions with family and friends, but putting on her uniform reminds her why she chose the nursing profession. “It still feels a little like Raya, but in a different way,” she said, adding that caring for patients who still need comfort and treatment keeps her motivated. Like her, fireman Amirul Hafiz Kamarudin will be serving at the fire and rescue station here, driven by a desire to ensure everyone can celebrate the festival safely. “If I can see people celebrating Raya safely, it already gives me satisfaction and motivates me to continue serving,” said the 30-year-old, who has served the department for 11 years. Amirul, who hails from Ipoh, Perak, said he only gets to celebrate Raya in his hometown once every five years due to the demands of his profession. He also expressed gratitude to his chief, Syed Shahril Anuar Syed Sulaiman, for supporting personnel on duty during the festive period. For Amir Che Ya, head of the traffic investigation and enforcement division in Petaling Jaya, Raya is also spent on duty – directing traffic – rather than heading back to his hometown with his family. “Most of our Raya celebrations are spent on the road,” he said, explaining that traffic officers work to keep highways safe as millions travel home for the balik kampung rush. Amir said officers monitor accident “black spots” and “hot spots”, deploying personnel to areas where collisions frequently occur as traffic volumes surge. Muniir Muhammad, an inspector with the same district police station, said officers have long accepted that festive celebrations often take place away from home. “We celebrate Raya in a simple way because our time with family is very limited. We cherish every opportunity we get,” he said. District police chief Shamsudin Mamat, who has served the force since 1994, said spending Raya on duty is part of the sacrifice officers make so the public can celebrate safely. “Raya is not a holiday for us. Even though our time with family is limited, we continue to carry out our duties for the people,” he said.