The Story of Perak Celebrating Aidilfitri a Day Early in 1983
In 1983, for the first time in Malaysian history, Perak and Johor celebrated Hari Raya Aidilfitri a day earlier than the other states in Malaysia.
It happened at the end of the month of Ramadan, when all Muslims were awaiting the arrival of the month of Syawal in 1983, back when Perak was under the reign of the late Sultan Idris Shah. If you are a long-time resident, can you share your experience of celebrating Hari Raya a day early? The story began when several groups of fishermen returning from sea claimed to have sighted the new moon, and the news reached the shore quickly.
It is said that the sighting was verified by marine personnel on duty at sea at the time. However, there are no specific records or evidence to substantiate this claim as the catalyst for the early celebration in the state of Perak. The story regarding the new moon was said to have reached the Mufti, and according to the Mufti, it had to be reported directly to the Sultan, as His Highness held the full authority to declare Hari Raya. Once the news was relayed to the late Sultan, His Highness immediately ordered all state government machinery to inform the public through state institutions, and the next day, Perak and Johor celebrated 1 Syawal a day earlier than other states, aligning with countries like Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei.
The Information Department and the police used loudspeakers to announce Hari Raya throughout the towns and remote villages. His Highness was said to have made the decision because he was confident that the new moon sighted by the fishermen and marine personnel was accurate and authentic. Nowadays, on the first day of Hari Raya, we can usually see the new moon clearly on the western horizon without needing binoculars. In Malaysia, the start of Ramadan and Syawal must be determined through calculation (hisab) and sighting (rukyah), but this does not apply to other months. Now, decades later, the determination of the fasting month and Hari Raya is no longer a major issue as it has been consistent for years and is recorded in calendars with accurate calculations. Since then, the celebration of Aidilfitri has never been late or early.
In the past, people would wait in front of the television or radio to hear the announcement by the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal. This is because Malaysia uses the Imkanur-rukyah method, which resulted from the 3rd Islamic Rukyah and Takwim Coordination Committee conference in Labuan on June 1, 1992. Today, the Hijri month is determined based on the moon's orbit around the Earth, which takes 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.9 seconds to complete. There are stories that people almost got into fights on the first day of Hari Raya that year in the border area of Perak and Selangor in Tanjung Malim, because those in Tanjung Malim were openly eating and smoking.
