American stumbles upon Malaysian royal Eid event
JOHOR BAHRU, Malaysia (MNTV) – American electrical engineer Brian Kessler had an unforgettable experience when he unknowingly attended the Malaysian royal family’s Eid al-Fitr (Hari Raya) open house at the Grand Palace (Istana Besar), according to The Star.
Kessler, visiting Singapore for work, decided to explore Johor Bahru on his day off with a friend.
“The plan was just to check out some tourist spots and experience what the city had to offer,” he said.
When they saw a large crowd lining up, they joined in without knowing what was happening.
“At first, I had no idea, but I was thrilled to be there,” said the 58-year-old.
“I’ve never been to a majority-Muslim country during Hari Raya, and this was my first peek into the culture. It was an unexpected and fascinating experience.”
Kessler and his friend, fellow electrical engineer Jay Lou, were not the only ones who stumbled upon the open house.
Azam Abdul Rahman and his wife, assistant manager Suhaila Hamzah, along with their four children, also joined the festivities after seeing the crowd.
“We were in town to visit Azam’s sisters, and we decided to check out what was going on. It was a nice opportunity for our children to learn about Johor’s history and the royal family,” said Suhaila.
The open house, which took place on the second day of Hari Raya, began around 9:30 a.m. and drew a large crowd, with some arriving hours early to get a good spot.
The event was graced by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
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