KUCHING: The spirit of Hari Raya Aidilfitri came alive at the CENTEXS Commercial and Matrade Sarawak’s Rona Warni Aidilfitri 2025 celebration, held at Juma’ani Pavilion here on Saturday.
Entrepreneurs were honoured for their dedication and sales success, marking CENTEXS Commercial’s first major Aidilfitri celebration to appreciate the vendors under its wing.
Originally expecting around 200 guests, the event drew even more, creating a festive and lively gathering.
In the vibrant atmosphere, Sarawak Tribune spoke with three individuals who shared their experiences, reflecting the themes of multicultural unity, educational opportunities, warm Sarawakian hospitality, and the unique spirit of Hari Raya celebrations here.
NEO LEE WEE, 36
Peladang eShop
I represent the e-shop farmers of the Farmers’ Organisation of Sarawak. Our brand focuses on marketing local products. As a vendor with CENTEXS, we collaborate to promote these products. We’re grateful to CENTEXS for inviting all the vendors to this gathering. The atmosphere is vibrant, and the food is fantastic. It’s wonderful to see local dishes being shared with all the vendors and guests, regardless of ethnicity – be it Malay, Chinese, or indigenous – everyone is here.
MUHAMMAD HAIKAL ADDLI, 25
CENTEXS TVET student from Kelantan
I came here (CENTEXS) to train in the TVET programme as a 5G wireless installation trainee. I arrived here in Sarawak on April 21. Honestly, I find it just as lively here as it is back in Kelantan. Both places have the same vibrant atmosphere. One thing I noticed when I first visited Uptown Metrocity was the night market. I’ve never seen anything like it, where they were hosting an open house. Back home, we usually just stroll around Uptown, buy food, and enjoy the sights. But when we arrived here, we were surprised to see free food being offered. We asked and they told us it was an open house event. So, it seems that here, the Raya (Hari Raya) celebrations continue throughout the entire month of Syawal.
NURUL IDZATUL SYUHADAH MOHAMAD ROSLI, 26
CENTEXS TVET student from Pahang
I chose CENTEXS here in Sarawak because there are courses here that are not available in West Malaysia and another reason is that the courses here offer international certifications, unlike most courses in West Malaysia, which are mostly local. I’m really enjoying the variety of food in Sarawak, which I’ve never had before. And the way people here welcome me has been amazing! They are genuinely interested in my experience and are eager to ask if I like it here. I’m really happy about that. In West Malaysia, we don’t celebrate Raya for a whole month, but here I learned that the celebration lasts for a month. Another thing is that, there aren’t many lights installed in houses during Raya, but here, during the celebration, there are many bright lights everywhere. It’s very lively because they celebrate Raya for an entire month.
