Navigating the horrors of in-law politics during Hari Raya

 

THE coming Raya celebration is cause for joy, and also a certain amount of dread.

For behind the delicious Malay cuisines and warm camaraderie are the dreaded questions such as, “When are you getting married,” or “when are you having babies.”

More than that, we also have the materialistic in-laws who make the annual balik kampung event sound like a competition on net worth.

Perhaps the recent viral post by netizen @jllmisai nails this saddening and at times, ridiculous condition in the head.

According to him, the son-in-law with the Alphard gets to park under the roof while the son-in-law driving the Viva finds shelter under the trees.

Expect such a post to stir up the online hornet nest. Prompted by the post, netizen @Jaiyen_nakal shared that this was what happened to his friend.

“When he drives a luxury car, he gets to bark in the garage. Even if he arrives earlier driving the Bezza, he is required to move his car for the other in-laws who come with a better car,” he said.

Another netizen said the Alphard family are also the ones who complain about the food not being delicious while the Viva family has to busy themselves preparing the food and drinks.

“The Alphard stays in the hotel, but comes during the feast. Their children cannot stand the mosquitoes or the cock that crows during the morning. The Viva family sleeps at the house, buys things, helps with the cooking and cleans the house,” said @SaifulA77188378.

But apparently the stereotype did not apply to everyone. Netizen @badrulmohd_007 said in his village, it doesn’t matter who drives an Alphard or Wolkswagen or Audi. “Who is fast, he gets the parking spot,” he said.

Then there was @kepalabanauuu1 who pointed out the practicality of the cheaper car being parked under the trees.

He said the Viva could be easily brought out to buy the drinks, food or to go to the shop or meet people.

Reading through the comment, one cannot help but smile and nod their heads. 

It appears the Raya celebration holds various perils besides the journey along the road home. Where there are humans, there are politics. 

We would like to wish the people returning home for Raya good luck as they navigate the intricacies of In-law politics. — Focus Malaysia