Families making cross-border Aidilfitri visits once again

Rokiah Mahmud

With the re-opening of land and sea borders last August, Bruneians and other nationals are once again able to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri with their loved ones overseas.

One public member, Nurul Hafizah HAB, said that Hari Raya Aidilfitri is a time for her and her family to visit their relatives in Kuching, Sarawak.

She said that the ease of the border-crossing allows them to visit their grandmother, Hajah Ameh binti Abang Haji Salleh, and the grave of their grandfather who passed away during the COVID-19 outbreak. “Being reunited brings joy and happiness to us and our family in Kuching.”

She added that it is interesting how awkward it feels to see family after so long and picking up on changes, such as meeting new cousins, nephews and nieces.

“It is also great to catch up with family to see what we gained or lost during the pandemic and reconnect with the far-flung family,” she said.

For Shafie bin Othman, the long public holiday led him and his family to celebrate by visiting his ‘Pak Uda’ and ‘Mak Uda’ in Pujut 3 in Miri, Sarawak.

“We could foster closer ties and meet those we have not met since the start of the pandemic.”

Not only Bruneians, Malaysian nationals also took the opportunity to visit their relatives in Sarawak and Sabah.

Anafiah Jalani, who lives in Limbang, Sarawak, said before the re-opening of Brunei’s land and sea borders, their family had to travel using domestic flights to visit family in Kapit, Sarawak.

“It was expensive to board every family member, so I only travelled with my wife. But now we can cross the Brunei borders to reach our destinations,” Anafiah said. “The exit and entry system is also quite affordable.”

She added, “However, we still need to stick to our safety and cleanliness practices.”