MUR successfully organized an “open -house” function to celebrate Eidul Fitri on 25 September 2011 from 12 noon to 3 pm. The function was held in an open space outside the MUR office in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. Some 300 guests attended the function, comprising not only members of the Rohingya community living in the environs of Setapak and Gombak but also Rohingya friends and leaders from other parts of the Klang Valley, Johor, Kedah and Penang.
Among the guests of honour present were Dato’ Hasbullah Lebai Mat Isa (Assistant Secretary-General of PERKIM), Professor Azizah binti Kassim (Senior Researcher from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, who is carrying out research on the socio-economic status of the Rohingya community in Malaysia). NGO leaders comprising Bro. Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman (Chairman, Future Global Network Foundation – FGN), Bro. Tuan Haji Yaacob (Treasurer, Jemaah Islah Malaysia – JIM), Bro. Raimi Ab. Rahim (Secretary-General, Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement – ABIM), Bro. Ahmad Tajuddin (President, Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia) and Bro. Syed Abu Bakar (CEO, Tradisi Ilmu Cemerlang) were also present. MUR leadership also invited the local mosques officials and community leaders in Setapak to join in the celebration.
Guests were entertained to Nasyid songs by a group of students from the Madrasah Al-Islahiyah Al-Islamiyah Tahfizul Quran from Meru, Klang under the guidance of Ustaz Al-Hafiz Abdul Jalil Dudumeah. The Chairman of MUR, Ustaz Muhammad Amin Muhammad Kassim, delivered his speech in Rohingya language and Ustaz Mohd. Karim Fazal Karim (Mufti MUR) addressed the guests in Malay. Nur Muhammad (a student from the Meru Madrasah) narrated the plight of the Rohingyas in English.
Apart from speeches by the Rohingya leaders, Dato’ Hasbullah from PERKIM and Bro. Ahmad Azam (Chairman of FGN) also addressed the guests at the invitation of MUR. The two NGO leaders reiterated their assurances of continued assistance through provision of quality education, both secular and religious, aimed at solving the socio-economic difficulties of the community.
Ustazah Nabilah Yusof, a lecturer from Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) was also invited to deliver a tazkirah to the Rohingya women on the practice and true meaning of Ramadan and Syawal according to the teachings of al-Quran and the way of life of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
Professor Azizah who has been providing a lot of support to the Rohingyas in the country through her research work, expressed her understanding of the real problems facing the Rohingyas in the country. MUR hopes that she would be able to make concrete and meaningful proposals on how government agencies could channel their assistance towards solving the manifold problems faced by the refugees in the country.
The Eid Fitr celebration was in fact able to forge ties of friendship and spirit of brotherhood between MUR leadership and the Rohingya community as a whole. At the same time such function could also provide opportunities for MUR leaders to meet up with NGO leaders and local philanthropists to explain issues and problems confronted by the Rohingya refugees in the country and inform them of the type of support and assistance they could provide.