BACK TO BASICS AS EVACUEES DREAD FLOODED HOMES AS RAYA APPROACHES

KLUANG, March 21 (Bernama) -- Flood evacuees barricaded at temporary relief centres (PPS) are facing the grim prospect of returning to muddied homes just when preparations are ticking down to days before Muslims celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri in the country.

One of the victims, Juri Amri, 78, said he and his wife, Romlah Yusuf, 74, are no longer pondering preparations for the festive season like making traditional cookies, festive dishes like ketupat and even new Hari Raya clothing.

Juri, who resides in Kampung Parit Jepun, confessed that what occupies his mind now is only cleaning up their mud-caked home which is now submerged in knee-high floodwaters, once they are allowed to return.

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"Previously, about a week before Hari Raya, I would usually be thinking about making preparations to welcome our two children and their families from Kulai and Skudai to celebrate Raya together.

"But now, the main priority is to clean up our home which is flooded, which is the worst we’ve experienced so far after two days of heavy rain," he said at the PPS located at Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Kencana today.

Meanwhile, Fara Nafisah Omar, 24, too shared that she is no longer focusing on elaborate Hari Raya preparations as she is resigned to the fate of celebrating the festival with whatever she managed to salvage in the sudden deluge.

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She explained that according to her plans earlier, she would have started baking festive cookies and decorating her house this weekend, but alas, all those plans have to be scrapped due to the flood damage to her home.

"Now, I am no longer thinking about making cookies for Raya, and if I get the chance, I will just buy cookies and dishes like ketupat and rendang.

"My only concern is the condition of my home after the floodwaters recede and once we are allowed to return home, my top priority is to clean the house before attending to anything else," she added.

-- BERNAMA