WHILE many have left the city for their hometown to celebrate Hari Raya tomorrow, a handful of Muslims, will still be on duty at work throughout the festive period.

For Muhamad Naim Abdul Rahman, this Hari Raya will be the first time he is away from family as he will collecting toll in the Puchong-Damansara highway.  

The 23-year-old Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd's (Litrak) employee from Senawang, Negri Sembilan, said he will try not to feel homesick being away from his family as he will be celebrating with Hari Raya with his colleagues who will also be on duty.

"Who wouldn't feel sad to miss the Hari Raya morning  of going to the mosque and gathering with family members? However, instead of feeling depressed, I will take it as an opportunity to see how Hari Raya is celebrated here.

"Furthermore, my family will be coming to KL to visit my grandparents' grave here. I will have time to meet them as I will be working on the afternoon shift.

"Since this is the first time I'm celebrating Hari Raya away from my hometown, I don't know what to expect.

"My superior told me that, as in previous years, there will be Raya breakfast in the morning and some of us will be assigned to cook, much like what we would be doing in the kampung.

"Those assigned to cook will bring the food and we'll have a small get together," said Naim who enjoys eating lemang with rendang the most during Hari Raya.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall enforcement officer, Inspector Nor Affendy Rosli, 45, from Tampin will also be working on Hari Raya.  

"Although this is the first time I will be working during Raya, there's no reason to feel down although I found it a little difficult to explain to my children why I still have to work on Hari Raya.

"My family understands that this is part of my job. I will try to make it back to Tampin as soon as I finish work in the evening.

"The roads here will be empty as most people would have gone to their hometown.

"I hope all road users will obey traffic rules and not speed just because there's not many cars around."

Fireman Azirul Bahari Zakaria, 27, who hails from Kota Baru, Kelantan, said this will be the  first time he will be spend  Hari Raya at the station in Putrajaya.

He was posted there about a week ago. "I was in Segamat before this. I was also at work during  last year's Hari Raya.

The only difference is that I was still single then, but now I'm married, so it's natural for my wife to feel sad.

"I told her to go home to Kelantan first as she is from Pasir Mas and I'll join her on the fifth day of Hari Raya.

"Sacrifices have to be made. We still need to be on standby around the clock as emergencies like fire or accident can happen anytime.

"It is work is as usual even on Hari Raya, except that we have well-wishers who will come to the station to bring us kuih raya.

"I wish to say 'Selamat Hari Raya' to all, especially my family and friends."

Policeman Corporal Faudzi Abdul Kadir, 42, said he is used to working on Hari Raya and this will be the fifth year he is away from his family on Hari Raya.

Faudzi, from Muar, Johor, who is also an amil (zakat collector), said that although he miss being with his family, he will not be lonely as some of his colleagues will also on duty.   

"My duty as amil every year during Ramadan is until Aidilfitri prayer on the Raya morning. I will then go to mosque before resuming my regular duties."

He said it was much easier these days to pay zakat as the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) had set up many counters which are convenient for Muslims to pay their tithe.

"I will miss being with my family and eating ketupat and rendang.

"It is a tradition for us to visit our parents' graves and go to the mosque on the morning of Hari Raya and to visit our relatives during Raya. My wife and three children will balik kampung first and I will join them later."