FAMILIES GATHER IN HOMETOWNS THROUGHOUT SARAWAK, SABAH AHEAD OF CHRISTMAS DAY

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 (Bernama) -- Families continue to gather in their hometowns throughout Sarawak and Sabah, many of them making final preparations on Christmas eve to ensure that they can enjoy the festivities tomorrow in a comfortable and meaningful manner with their loved ones.

Checks by Bernama revealed that a large number of people had already travelled back earlier in the week, with many opting to do their last-minute Christmas shopping in the morning to avoid crowds.

In SARAWAK, housewife Jelumi Lakun, 21, who will celebrate Christmas with her newborn baby boy, was at the Kuching Sentral Bus Terminal with her brother-in-law waiting for to head back to her longhouse in Kanowit for the festivities.

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She admitted that her decision to return home was done at the last minute, after her mother requested that all her children return home for the occasion.

“I really can’t wait to get back because I’m excited to be with everyone, as we seem not to have the opportunity to meet up together.

“I’ve finished my preparations and my brother-in-law will accompany me on the six-hour jouney with my baby from Kuching to Sibu before we continue on to Kanowit. I’m sure that our trip will go smoothly as the Pan Borneo Highway has been completed,” she said.

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) final-year student, Larry Enteba Langgong, 23, a fellow Ibanese, expressed satisfaction that he managed to secure a bus ticket at the last minute to his longhouse in Kabo, Saratok as he was eager to rejoin his family after being away for so long for his studies.

“After about three to four hours, I’ll arrive in Saratok and spend another 46 minutes or so to get back to the longhouse,” he told Bernama.

Meanwhile in SABAH, teacher Chris Wee Kia Kee, 50, chose to do his last-minute Christmas shopping with his wife early at 10 am today.

Wee, who travelled from Melaka to celebrate Christmas with his wife in Penampang, shared that they had left home at 9.30 am to ensure their shopping would go smoothly without a hitch.

“When we left, there weren’t much cars, but now it’s getting crowded. It’s just an hour’s difference, but there’s lots of cars,” he said when met at the Penampang International Technology & Commercial Centre (ITCC).

Fellow shopper, civil servant Rose Marie Rogellio, 45, shared that she would be celebrating Christmas in moderation, and would carry on their family’s traditions of gathering together and spending time exchanging gifts and playing games.

-- BERNAMA