KUALA LUMPUR – National men’s doubles player Muhammad Haikal Nazri embraces the tradition of giving “duit raya” on Hari Raya Aidilfitri whenever he heads home to celebrate.
Haikal, who partners Choong Hon Jian, finds joy in this act of generosity, considering it a departure from his experience of receiving duit raya in his youth.
During Hari Raya, it is customary to present guests with envelopes containing small amounts of money as a gesture of hospitality and goodwill.
“This is the third year that I have been giving out duit raya to my relatives and cousins.
“I feel happy that I can afford to do so, as our family is not well-off.
“The experience is different from when I received the money when I was an adolescent,” the 21-year-old told reporters when met at Akademi Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara recently.
Haikal, the youngest of four, plans to head home to Pasir Mas, Kelantan, for Aidilfitri and is grateful for his relatives’ prayers and encouragement for his badminton career during these festive gatherings.
“We will usually gather at our great-grandmother’s house. Even though they are no longer with us, we still choose to gather there, which has been our tradition since I was little.
“All of my relatives live within walking distance of one another, so we will prepare Raya dishes and share them.
“I enjoy eating and am not picky; on Hari Raya mornings, I usually eat roti jala, lemang, and ketupat,” he said.
Last month, Haikal and Hon Jian bagged their third title since being paired up in August at the Orleans Masters.
Before that, the world number 28 pair were victorious in the Syed Modi International and the Guwahati Masters in December. – April 11, 2024