Kelantanese begin exodus home after extended Raya holidays

KOTA BARU: Out-of-state Kelantanese who had returned to their hometowns in the east coast state for the Hari Raya Aidiladha holidays began their long trek home today.

Exits such as Bukit Yong which borders Terengganu, as well as the the East-West Highway in Batu Melintang, Jeli and the Kuala Krai-Gua Musang highway were lined with vehicles.

One traveller, Azzah Mohd Som, said it was normal for those living outside the state to value their Raya holidays.

"The Hari Raya 'korban' celebration in Kelantan is different from other states. Here, it's more festive and is celebrated longer than usual, sometimes even a week," said the housewife.

The 28-year-old returned to Kuantan, Pahang, today with her 32-year-old husband and their two children.

Azzah said they were in Kelantan for more than a week to celebrate the festival with her parents in Kota Baru.

Meanwhile, heavy traffic was also spotted in several roads in the state including Jalan Gua Musang-Kuala Lipis.

Motorists who passed the route were either headed to Pahang or Kuala Lumpur.