Date of Aidilfitri for whole country streamlined 31 years ago

At about 8pm on the 29th day of every Ramadan, Muslims in the country will be glued to their television sets waiting for the announcement of the date for Aidilfitri.

This has become a tradition over the past 31 years.

When the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal announces that Aidilfitri is on the next day, children jump for joy and cheer "esok raya" (tomorrow is Aidilfitri), while the women folk head to the kitchen to prepare the Aidilfitri dishes.

The announcement is crucial to demonstrate the strong Islamic understanding among states in the country, the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal, Datuk Seri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, told Bernama.

Prior to 1983, he said, the announcement was broadcast over radio and television based on the information received from those looking out for the new Syawal moon at several locations in the peninsula.

"There was an instance when a state announced the Aidilfitri date a day earlier than the other states," he said.

Syed Danial also gave examples of conflicting dates announced for some states with areas where the fasting month did not begin or end on the stipulated date due to conflicting opinions.

He said to avoid such a situation, the Malay rulers, as the head of the Islamic religion in the states, decided that the date for the beginning and end of the fasting month would be determined by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and would be applicable to all states in Malaysia.

This has been in practice since 1983.