Intan finds bliss after leaving KL for kampung life

2026-03-23 - 02:21

Intan Syazlin Diana gave up her thriving career in Kuala Lumpur to care for her mother-in-law in Machang, Kelantan. (Intan Syazlin Diana Fohzi pic) PETALING JAYA: In 2023, on the third day of Raya, 39-year-old Intan Syazlin Diana Fohzi and her husband, Muhammad Firdaus, packed their bags, and bid goodbye to Kuala Lumpur. Their destination? A quiet village more than 400km away in Machang, Kelantan. They weren’t escaping the city for slower mornings or greener surroundings. They left to care for Firdaus’s mother. Three years on, Intan looks back at the decision not as a sacrifice but as a turning point in life. Intan was a successful insurance agent, and her husband a property agent. They had led a comfortable life with their two children. Then one day, Firdaus said something unexpected: “He suddenly told me that he wanted to move to Kelantan to be with his mother.” Intan’s mother-in-law lived alone in Kelantan for a year before she and her family moved in to care for her. (Intan Syazlin Diana Fohzi pic) Firdaus had been unhappy with his mother being by herself after the death of his father in 2019. She had been living alone for one year. “His mother told me she spotted a snake in the house one night. The first thing I thought was: ‘Why didn’t she call us?’ But then I realised, what could we have done?” Intan felt that they had taken her mother-in-law’s independence for granted. “We were living comfortably in KL, while she was feeling afraid all alone in the village. That was the moment I told my husband I fully supported his decision.” The move didn’t happen overnight – in fact, it took almost a year to sell their condominium. Next, they sold their Mercedes Benz car and bought a Perodua Axia with cash. Living debt-free was liberating for the couple, and they were ready for an adventure. Three years on, Intan and her family now call this village home. (Intan Syazlin Diana Fohzi pic) “The thought of leaving that lifestyle behind was scary,” Intan admitted, adding that her husband felt the same. Firdaus had left the village at 13 for boarding school, and had spent most of his time away from kampung life. The couple informed friends about their move just a month before leaving. “Most asked us the same question: ‘Can you really live in the village?’ Honestly we didn’t know yet, but our main focus was to be with his mother.” Their savings were meant to last a year, but the day before they moved, a friend offered Firdaus a job linked to a Kelantan-based business. Intan, meanwhile, earns a passive income. “I prepared myself mentally to downgrade my lifestyle. Once your life becomes simpler, you realise you actually don’t need that much to live on,” she said. Intan’s two children have settled in well, enjoying life outdoors in the village. (Intan Syazlin Diana Fohzi pic) Even Firdaus’s mother struggled with their decision at first. “But when we finally arrived in Kelantan with all our belongings, she had the biggest smile on her face,” Intan recalled. Adjusting to village life, however, wasn’t easy, and there were moments of doubt. “In the early days, I would literally be counting the hours.” Soon, with their kids aged five and three, the family settled into a new rhythm. Weekends meant visits to nearby rivers and beaches, driving to Jeli, or reading together. “My husband also cut the grass behind the house and put up a fence for the kids. Now it’s a chicken farm, with ducks and geese. The kids love playing with them! “This whole journey has shifted the meaning of success for me,” Intan said in reflection. “Success is measured not only by comfort but also by the choices we make for our loved ones.” This Raya, Intan encourages Malaysians to cherish the time spent with their parents. (Intan Syazlin Diana Fohzi pic) This year, the family celebrated the first day of Raya in KL with her side of the family. Intan hopes her story encourages others to reflect on what truly matters in life – during Raya and after. “I think parents should get attention and time from their children beyond just Raya,” she said. “Because the truth is, when you go back occasionally, they will show the best version of themselves. But only when you stay a little longer can you really see how they are doing. “My message to everyone who will balik kampung again this Raya is, stay a little longer if possible.” Follow Intan Syazlin Diana on Instagram.