DAVAO CITY – The Malaysia Consulate General here hosted on Thursday, April 11, the Rumah Terbuka Aidilfitri (Eid’l Fitr Open House) at Blue Lotus Hotel in celebration of the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
THE Consulate General of Malaysia in Davao City hosted on Thursday, April 11, the Rumah Terbuka Aidilfitri (Eid’l Fitr Open House), attended by diplomatic corporations, business sector, and national and local government agencies from in Mindanao in celebration of the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. (Ivy Tejano)
Malaysian Consul General Deddy Faisal Bin Ahmad Salleh said that Eid’l Fitr holds significance for Malaysian Muslims.
He added that people from diverse backgrounds joined the festivity, enjoying their cuisine.
“I want to introduce this event here as part of Malaysian culture. In Malaysia, we celebrate it for 30 days in a large crowd. Our King will invite all the people to come to the palace and celebrate the Aidilfitri,” Salleh said.
About 100 families, friends, and guests from Malaysia, diplomatic corporations, business sectors, and national and local government agencies from various areas in Mindanao attended the Rumah Terbuka Aidilfitri.
The Malaysians celebrate annual festivals due to their country’s diverse people, forming cultural traditions. Food and celebrations are vibrant to Malaysian culture, representing unity, generosity, and the happiness of communal gatherings.
Since Davao is part of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), Salleh said he took this gathering as an opportunity to bring in more business interactions and close economic cooperation between Malaysia and the Philippines.
Muhammad Syahid Bin Chek Khairil Anwar of the GISBH Philippines said they envision introducing Malaysian Muslim Halal products, mainly Islam-made Halal food, in Davao City. He added that he was happy to learn about the good relationship between people from diverse backgrounds here.
“We make Halal not only for food. In Islam, Halal does not only focus on food. It is a lifestyle in our daily lives, from waking up in the morning to sleeping at night. Halal is a way of life,” Anwar said, sharing that the GISBH, which has been in Malaysia for 60 years, has a franchise in 19 countries.
Lawyer Jude Ralph Villacin Yap, businessman and former chief of staff of former Davao City Mayor and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, said he hopes Malaysia and the Philippine government partnership will succeed.
“I belonged to a Christian world, but then I also considered the Muslims as brothers. There is only one creator; we are brothers in race – Muslims and Christians. Let us rejoice with the Muslims as they celebrate Eid’l Fitr,” said Yap, among the guests in the Rumah Terbuka Aidilfitri.
Allan Supra, from a private sector in General Santos City, said the event with various guests from Davao and Mindanao only shows that the relationship between Malaysia and the Philippines has always been there.
“The relationship between Malaysians and Filipinos is commendable. We look forward to a continuous unity of understanding. We should transcend all religious extremism. We should transcend unity and understanding and tolerate each other,” Supra said.
Edmund Alexander, from a private sector in Montevista town in Davao de Oro, echoed Supra. He said it is good to meet new people in such an event that emphasizes multicultural identity and a spirit of inclusivity.