Celebrating Hari Raya 2012

"Berlabuh sudah di Tasik Ranum; 

maaf dan syukur, sebak dan senyum." 

A. Samad Said

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, to all my Muslims friends and also readers of this blog. As we celebrate Hari Raya in the middle of August this year, my Japanese friends said they find it something unique to have the new year during the summer months. Also, as we have so many New Years to celebrate throughout the year back in Malaysia, they once commented that it must be very busy having to prepare for New Year every few months. 

I should tell my Japanese friends that yes, we prepare very hard, trying to figure out whose place to crash for the many open houses held during the New Years' celebration lol!

My usual destination for Raya celebration every year.

Today is the first time I stepped my foot to the Embassy of Malaysia in Tokyo (KBM) not as a student, but a working person. Well, it didn't feel any much different though. But one particular part which I felt had changed is that it seemed almost everyone knows my name. My name must have gotten famous every since making my TV appearance for several times in Chiba TV for the past couple of months.

I know you must be thinking why-lar this fella so muka tembok (or is it muka tebal? sorry-lar, my simpulan bahasa already koyak liao haha!) and vain, right? So, just pretend you didn't read the previous parangraph haha wtf!

From left: Kai Cung (my ex-housemate for two years), Amy, and Morinaka-san, the Embassy's driver.

The party had begun when we arrived at the Embassy just before ten in the morning. Unlike the previous years where the food was catered, the food this year was prepared by the ladies of the Embassy's staffs. The food was the usual but delicious stuff, including rendang, lemang, nasi himpit, kuih and snacks. The second party, at the staffs' apartment in Meguro this year was held in late evening, as I heard there was gonna be a live teleconferencing with the PM in the afternoon.

Sometimes, people assume that we go to the Embassy during Raya just for the food. Actually, there is more than that. It is one of the rare time when we get to see people whom we have not met for months, and sometimes years. It gives us a great opportunity to do catch-ups with these people, and at the same time,  make new friends there.

I'll keep this entry short and leave the rest of the entry with photos taken at the Embassy today. 

Bee lines queuing up for the food.

Mr Wan Aznainizam Yusri Wan Abdul Rashid, the Head of Chancery of KBM.

Kak Fiza and her husband.

Kak Fiza and Kak Ruslinda, who insistted me to stand in the middle lol!

Kak Fiza (take three lol!) with Mr Wan Yusri's wife.

Puan Siti Zaharah, the Counselor for the Public Service Department's (PSD) Education and Training (middle in blue), Amy, Ekhwan (batchmate) 
and the rest of my juniors, who said they didn't wanna missed the chance to take photos with this TV star hahaha!

From left: Amy, Chiba-san from the HR department of KBM, and my two juniors.

From left: Mr X, Mr Kua Kiat Chye, Director of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) in Japan, Mr Solehhuddin Ahmad, 
Deputy Director of Tourism Malaysia Tokyo, and Mr XX.

Abang Dzul, a fanatic Liverpool supporter, with his wife.

Part of the staff from the KBM and juniors who joined the celebration.



Datin: "Our house is open. You wanna enter?"

Lastly but not least, a photo with the first couple - Datuk Shaharuddin Md. Som, the Ambassador to Japan with Datin. Amazing to see both of them 
able to remember my name when I walked over to greet them.

If you notice, it is the Chiba Kun Ambassador taking photo with the Malaysian Ambassador to Japan lol!