THIS year’s Festival of Lights will see less shopping and smaller gatherings as Hindus celebrate under movement restrictions to curb Covid-19 and for some, with a loss of incomes as well.

The focus this Deepavali will not be on new clothes, jewellery, curtains, carpets and cookies, but on managing a modest celebration with loved ones.

For the festival this Saturday, Petaling Jaya resident M. Jeya cancelled her usual luncheon and will only go to her brother’s home for a breakfast gathering after morning prayers.

“With just my salary, we need the money to pay for our house and car loans, our daughter’s education and food.

“So, there is absolutely no shopping for us this year because finances are extremely tight,” said the clerk.

Jeya is currently the family’s sole breadwinner after her husband was ordered to go on unpaid leave from August until year-end.

Malaysia is now under the recovery movement control order (RMCO) until December 31, but all states in the peninsula – except for Perlis, Pahang and Kelantan – were recently placed under the conditional MCO (CMCO).

The CMCO was first imposed in Sabah, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya from October 14.

However, on November 7, it was expanded to cover almost all states except for the three peninsula states and Sarawak, for four weeks until December 6.

Malaysia is currently fighting its third wave of Covid-19 infections, with the bulk of cases in Sabah.

This year will also be a modest Deepavali for business development manager K. Siva Kumar, 45, who works at a medical equipment company and lives in Puchong.

Siva, who hails from Teluk Intan, Perak, said he usually goes back to his hometown to celebrate, but will not do so this year.

“My wife and I are both from Teluk Intan. We usually go back for Deepavali but this year, we will stay in Puchong.

“We don’t want to pose any health risks to our elders there. So, we will just have a simple celebration here,” said the father of two children, aged 7 and 12.

Siva said he usually spends about RM1,500 during Deepavali but has cut his budget to RM500 this year.

“Maybe just one set of clothes for the kids and we’re done for the year.”

Thilaga Nathan, 40, from Penang, said she, too, will not spend as much as she normally does, and has cancelled invitations to her home for the festival.

“No curtains, new cushion covers or decorations this year. I’m planning to use what I already have. No unnecessary spending, except for food items.

“Also, with the pandemic, it’s better not to have guests for the time being,” the mother of two said.

Thilaga said while she was able to set aside some money during the six-month moratorium on bank loans, it would be wiser to save the extra instead.

“The situation now is unpredictable. Many people are losing jobs during this period.

“We don’t know what will happen tomorrow, so it’s better to have some savings. It might help when we need it.”

In Penang, Sharwind Barath, 31, is more concerned about the CMCO in the Klang Valley.

He was planning on returning to his family home in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, but travel restrictions have since dashed his hopes.

“I was hoping to be back for the celebration this year,” he said.

With his company imposing 15 days of unpaid leave during the Deepavali period, Sharwind is now wondering what he will do in Penang.

“My budget is tight for this year.” – November 11, 2020.