Riang Ria Hari Raya

This is the moment every Muslim in general and Muslim employees in particular, are looking forward to as we enter the fourth and final week of Ramadhan. It's beyond the threshold of fasting - where thirst, hunger or any kind of withdrawal symptoms would no longer be inflicting any more discomfort to the devotees.

As in the Olympic marathon, the last leg of Ramadhan would be similar to the marathon runners nearing to the stadium entrance tunnel as the sound of wild crowd ever cheering and applauding - with increasing roar as one emerges through the running tracks. The crowd goes ballistic as the runners spontaneously increase their running pace - striding effortlessly to the finishing line in all glory and jubilantly satisfying.

We will also be striding in the last few days of Ramadhan with mixed feelings of contentment, humbled, exalted and grateful to Almighty in blessing us yet another year of living, Insha'Allah.

Coincidently, it's also the end of the July where all the employees will be emptying their ATM salaried accounts without bothering with any of the interest-bearing opportunities that the banks would like to hold on to your monies.

No, this is not the time to worry about savings, retirement funds or even repayment installments - some petty financial jargons that can be done with a few months down the road...!

This is the final few days of Ramadhan before Eid al-Fitr or Hari Raya Aidil Fitri in Malay. It will be awfully busy for all parents or even singles alike.

Where to celebrate would be telling on the budget. Crisscrossing both sides of the families to please the other half would be draining on travelling expenses. More so when it involves air-travelling across the China Sea-divide.

Then how about the inevitable new clothes and shoes for the kids - and it must be differing attires for the couple of days they are on holidays visiting the kampong folks!

What about the cakes, cookies and special dishes? It would be totally rude and unbecoming to balik kampong empty handed. More so to your in-laws household.

Especially when your rival sibling-in-laws got back not only with their perfect ketupat-rendang or lemang dishes, or that their fully-attired ipaded or ipoded children all in-tow, but they drove back in their brand new shining sleek BMWs or at least any of the latest curvaceous Korean models (cars mind you, cars not K-pop version).

Not forgetting treating the in-laws to fancy unforgetful outings with or without meals! Surely one can't be too cheapskate to pack meals to recreational parklands or resorts. How about the over-priced entrance fees with or without the rides?

Happy holidays to all of you out there.