Before You Go Back For Raya, Are You Sure You’re Prepared? Here’s Your Balik Kampung Checklist!

There’s less than a week to go until Hari Raya!!

(Credit: Come Singapore, Freepik)

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Now we’re all excited for this year’s Raya because we can all BALIK KAMPUNG!

It’s been a while since we’ve gone back to our hometown to celebrate an occasion right? So did you forget to the checklist you need before your journey?

Dont worry, we got you. Here are some of the suggested Raya checklist for you to prepare.

1. Your Essentials Are Packed, But What About The Little Stuff?

Yes we know you know how to pack. But not everyone remember the little details.

Some of the tiny details you might forget are:

Toothbrush
Towels
Baju Melayu Buttons
Earrings/bracelets/necklaces (or even dokoh for those kebaya ladies)
Contact lenses
Sampul raya
Cable extension & Charger
Medication

Also, one more useful tip is to pack any gifts (for those who can) from your place that your parents or family would want to your kampung. For example, a certain kuih raya for your mum, or a certain T-shirt for your dad, toys for your the kids and fruits for the rest of the family. You know what they say, it’s the little thought that counts.

2. Ensure Your Car Is In Tip Top Condition

If you’re bound for a very long journey in your car, checking your car is a must.

According to Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), things that you can check in your car before you go back to your hometown are your batteries, wipers, tyres, brakes, filters, lights, lubricants, hoses and timing belt.

JOM PERIKSA KENDERAAN ANDA SEBELUM MEMULAKAN PERJALANAN PULANG BERHARI RAYA#KPDNHEP #Raya2022 pic.twitter.com/PtllXI9CIB
— KPDNHEP (@kpdnhep) April 27, 2022

If you need it, you can service your car in an automotive workshop near you before you balik kampung. In a service, they can check all those for you and replace anything that you car needs with new ones, like the lubricants for example.

3. Don’t Forget To Load Up Your Touch ‘n GO or eWallet!

For a long journey on the road, there’s bound to be tolls when you go into the highway. So estimate your cost and make sure your touchngo or eWallet (for RFID) balance is enough.

Here are some more tips for the journey on the road by PLUS Malaysia Berhad.

Plan your trip and use Waze or Google Maps to avoid congestion
Enter and Exit your toll using the same mode. E.g. Both MyFRID
Stop by the RnR and get refreshments if you’re tired (You can stop by a smaller RnR to avoid getting stuck in a jam or packed people at the shops at larger RnR)
Abide by the speed limit
Try your best to avoid peak days on the PLUS highway from 29 April to 9 Mei (start before 9 am)

Setiap kali Syawal menjelang, persiapan untuk pulang ke kampung sentiasa menjadi keutamaan adakala melebihi persiapan menyambut Aidilfitri itu sendiri. (1/5) pic.twitter.com/wbuEN68UTH
— PLUS Malaysia Berhad (@plus2u) April 26, 2022

Alternatively, if you are stuck in a jam (it’s just unavoidable), make sure to bring extra food and water just in case you’re hungry or thirsty. It’s gonna be a long ride.

4. It’s Time For Spring Cleaning & The Final Check

What’s the point of cleaning your house if you’re going back to hometown and not gonna be there, right? Well it isn’t compulsory but it will give you a peace of mind. Think of it this way, at least when we come back, we’ll have a pristine and calm house to settle in.

Things you need to consider when cleaning your house:

Empty the gargabe so it won’t smell
Throw away food that’s close to spoiling
Close your taps tightly so it won’t drip
Turn off your water filter machine
Pull out all electrical appliances from the power socket so they don’t trip
Ensure any no gas is leaking
Seal the window shut so no bugs can come in

Additionally, it can also be totally worth it in case of those ‘surprise open houses’. Imagine you’re going back on the 3rd of Raya and the 4th of Raya suddenly “Hey, we wanna Raya at your house! We’re bringing the whole shebang!”. Now aren’t you glad you’ve cleaned your house? You just gotta figure out what to serve them.

5. Remember to Book a Pet Hotel To Board Your Pets

If you have pets, you might not wanna bring them along for the long journey. It’ll be a headache for both you and your pet. So if you wanna leave your pets behind, make sure they are in the care of a professional or someone you trust. You can get a pet sitter or board your pets at a pet hotel or anything along the way.

Find out more on how to take care of your pets while you’re away here.

Besides that, for someone who has their own garden at home, you can also ask your neighbours or someone you trust to water your plants every few days if you’re really staying at your hometown for a long time. I mean, you’ve poured all your heart and effort to grow your plants all these moments. You don’t want to come back and reunite with a wilted plant after a week right?

6. Make Sure Your House Is Safely Locked!

This sure goes without saying but ensure your house is locked securely. This means the main doors, the sliding doors, the windows, the gates and whatever opening and exits you have. Keep your valuables in a safe place and don’t forget to notify your neighbours (for them to keep a lookout) that you’ll be absent too.

Actually these are the times where smart burglars find it very convenient to go to ‘work’. Everyone is bound to go back to their hometown after two years of missing each other, so beware.

Ideally, PDRM also suggests that you fill in the form notifying that you’re leaving your house to them. This is in conjuction with their Kempen Rumah Selamat efforts where they will patrol your house at least once a day if you register under them.

In addition, for extra safety and if you can afford it, set up a small CCTV in your house that you can find online. Like a pet monitor or baby monitor. That could actually work too.

7. Your RTK Test

Yes, we do have a more relaxed SOP this time around but it doesn’t mean that COVID-19 is obsolete. We still have to remain vigilant.

Conduct a self RTK test before you’re going back to your hometown just to make sure you don’t endanger the health of your family members. Especially if you have symptoms.

If you dont, bring a few extra just in case for you and your family. It’s better safe than sorry.

Lastly, make sure to DRIVE SAFELY and have fun at your kampung!

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