Commentary by Mustafa K. Anuar 

OPEN house, the concept of welcoming visitors to one’s residence in celebration of religious and cultural festivities, has been practised in Malaysia for many years. 

Political leaders and other dignitaries welcome not only families and friends, but also strangers into their homes on such joyous occasions as Hari Raya Aidilfitri. 

On a smaller scale, ordinary Malaysians too open their houses to families, relatives, and friends. 

For some Malaysians, the open house tradition is an opportunity to get acquainted with different types of cultural heritage. This could go a long way towards building mutual understanding and respect among people of diverse ethnicities – at the same time keeping bigotry in check. 

In other words, opening houses on festive occasions has always been largely a sociocultural thing – until lately. 

The practice of open house has now taken on a political dimension in the wake of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s well-publicised plan to hold a Malaysia Madani Aidilfitri 2023 open house in the Perikatan Nasional-ruled states of Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah. 

According to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Department, the national-level open house programme in Kedah is expected to host some 25,000 guests, while the other open houses are set to see 15,000 guests at each place. 

Apart from these states, Anwar will also play host to Raya visitors in the Pakatan Harapan-held states of Selangor, Negri Sembilan, and Penang. 

Critics, particularly PN politicians, perceive such a different approach to open house as Anwar’s political posturing to win the hearts and minds of opposition electorate, with an eye on the state elections in Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Penang, Selangor, and Negri Sembilan. 

In the past, the open house was held in the prime minister’s official residence in Putrajaya. 

That said, such an open house approach also constitutes Anwar’s endeavour to cultivate and strengthen the ties that bind him and ordinary Malaysians, particularly Malay Muslims, on which Islam puts a high premium. 

The Madani open house can also be perceived as an effort to improve ties between the federal and PN state governments, currently at its lowest ebb. 

To reiterate, in a Malaysia increasingly polarised racially and politically after the last general election, Anwar’s open house strategy is a positive move towards improving the prevalent situation, although the path is still paved with many challenges. 

That is why it is stretching the imagination that – as claimed by Malacca’s Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change and Disaster Management executive councillor Rais Yasin – the presence of various races at the Raya open house in the state shows solidarity among the people is strengthening. 

To be sure, some people do go to open houses with the sincere intention to foster good ties and share joyous moments, while others only have the goal of grabbing free food. 

Moreover, it obviously takes more than just fun and food on festive occasions to forge social cohesion. There are bigger things here, such as equal access to education and employment opportunities, as well as social justice for the country’s stakeholders. 

Not to forget, racial bigotry and religious extremism, which has reared its ugly head over the years, can and has put a damper on the noble quest for national unity. 

It cannot be overemphasised that the inclusiveness that the Malaysia Madani supposedly fosters should always stay the course. – April 27, 2023.