This year’s Aidifitri extra special for Sirajuddin

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KOTA KINABALU: This year’s Raya Aidilfitri will be extra special for Sirajuddin Shahbuddin as he has a new outfit to wear for the occasion.

Seen carrying a shopping basket around the Giant Hypermarket in Kolombong near hear yesterday, the six-year-old from Kampung Pengalat Kecil carefully selected the attire that suits his fancy.

His eyes were settled on a pair of matching peach-coloured baju Selangor, something he said “to wear on the first day of Raya”.

But for the youngest child of four siblings, the search was not over. He went around, picking up a few more pieces of shirts and pants, a sandal, and a black songkok with colourful treads kopiah, to meet the RM150 budget from the Puteri Umno Papar, which they described as an early Raya gift to children and orphans in their constituency.

Sirajuddin was among the 40 children who come from the lower income group to benefit the programme, which national Puteri Umno chief Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin described as their social responsibility to the community.

Another 20 orphans from the Kota Kinabalu Children’s Home in Beringgis, Papar, also received a similar treat yesterday.

“A similar event was also held yesterday, which saw the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman participating in accompanying orphans and children from poor families enjoying the Raya shopping here yesterday (Sunday).

“The event yesterday was launched simultaneously statewide, which saw the involvement of 25 Puteri Umno divisions and 416 recipients. Today (yesterday) is a programme by the Papar Puteri Umno to benefit a total of 60 children from the district,” she said.

At the national level, Rosnah said a similar initiative is also carried out separately by Puteri Umno divisions at their respective areas.

“We will also be launching the Projek Prihatin Puteri, or 3P in short, which will be focusing on carrying out free health check-ups for rural communities nationwide. The programme, which will see the participation of other agencies, including hospitals, will be divided into zones, namely Sabah, North, South, West and Middle.

“Sarawak is not included as we do not have Puteri Umno over there. However, we might extend the programme to Barisan Nasional component parties through their respective women or Puteri bureaus or wings there to handle,” she said.

The Deputy Health Minister also said that the programme will continue right up to the month of Syawal, adding: “In fact, this programme should not be restricted to the Ramadan month only. We also had similar programme during other festivities and occasions to bring smiles to the faces of the needy people, especially young children.”

Also present at the event was Sabah Puteri Umno chief Musliati Moslimin.