The Malaysian Insight

THE celebration over Pakatan Harapan’s historic win at the May 9 polls continued for Malaysians attending the prime minister’s Hari Raya open house in Putrajaya today.

For many, it was a chance to meet Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the flesh and congratulate him in person for helping PH take federal power.

Some, like Muhammad Hafiz Taib from Tanjung Malim, began travelling as early as 6.30am for the open house at Seri Perdana, the prime minister’s official residence.

The 42-year-old said he came today to celebrate PH’s capture of Putrajaya.

“This is the first open house in Putrajaya under Pakatan. I’m here today to congratulate the prime minister personally,” he said while standing in a queue to greet the prime minister.

Though his hometown is in Johor, he said he was delaying the drive there and had brought his wife and two children to record their meeting with Dr Mahathir on video for his relatives back home.

“Let them be a little jealous,” he said.

Muhammad said he would stay until the end of the open house at 4.30pm just so he could meet other ministers from the PH government.

“Azmin (Ali) is already here, I still want to meet (Defence Minister) Mohamad Sabu and (Health Minister) Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, and if possible, take selfies with them,” he said.

M. Kalai Moorthy, 37, also said he wanted to see PH ministers in the flesh. He added that they should keep their election promises quickly.

“They had my vote. That was why Malaysians voted for them, I hope they carry out their promises like they said (they would),” he said.

Things got a bit heated in the queue of people waiting to greet Dr Mahathir on the VIP stage when people started cutting in on each other.

But Cheah Hock Kooi, 42, said he didn’t mind the overwhelming crowds at such events, adding that he had always made it a point to attend the prime minister’s open house.

“My hometown is in Kelantan. Instead of being in the traffic jam going back, I came to meet the prime minister,” said Cheah, who lives in Putrajaya.

His wife and child in tow, he admitted that he also came for the food.

So did Kalai Moorthy, who said it was not often that one could eat to his heart’s content.

“How often do you get to eat all kinds of food in one place with so many people?”

It wasn’t often ordinary Malaysians got the chance to take selfies with the prime minister, he said, adding that he planned to get one before leaving. – June 15, 2018.