My “balik kampong” means ascending to being human again. Each Raya Balik Kampong reminds me of the profound journey I took in my early secondary school life. In those days, every month I would balik kampong - a journey that took almost five hours on foot and a river crossing in a sampan.
On one of those occasions, I arrived home and handed over to my mum an application form for a scholarship of eight ringgit a month from my school. My mum took the form, tossed it into the wood fire as she was cooking (She didn’t need to read it as she is illiterate). That profound moment is the most spiritual thing on earth residing in me - my north star.
Recently, I was reminded of that moment as I took the Menara KH lift on my way to the KL office on the 25th floor. Together in the lift was a pretty lady and her colleague with a trolley load of Raya gift baskets and hampers. She was busy ticking off the names of recipients on her long list. If I were to receive one of those Raya gifts, my mum would ask if I earned it. Still, she would insist that I’m not entitled to it and that I should not even feel entitled to receiving free gifts or to things that I do not earn.
The sight of Raya gift hampers in the office cuts to the quick of my psyche with searching questions asked of my basic human soul - the question of whether I should feel that I am really entitled to many things in life such as having no obligation to pay income tax, or a parking space in front of the office, or a bumiputra status or a big office room or a company driver to do my personal errands, or hand-outs from the Government or Raya gift hampers from the vendors. Should I feel entitled to things even if I don’t earn them?
Feeling entitled has been woven into the fabrics of our culture as amplified by the “No Gift Policy” notice placed by a Fortune Global 500 company, Petronas. The notice is placed at the registration counter of the Petronas Twin Towers. (Petronas climbed to 68th spot on the Fortune Global 500 list, up from previous ranking of 86th).
When I receive a Raya gift hamper from a vendor, is it for me or for my office? Should I take it home or should I leave it in the office to be shared with my colleagues? As I balik kampong for the Raya, I hope my north star guides me to feel that a no-gift policy takes me to my basic human being.
Selamat Hari Raya, maaf zahir batin
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