KUALA LUMPUR, 1 Oct 2008: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah kicked off their Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations with an audience with Yang diPertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agung Tuanku Nur Zahirah at Istana Negara early this morning.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Raja Permaisuri Agong, Abdullah and Jeanne, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and Muslim ministers then proceeded to the national mosque for Aidilfitri prayers.
The entourage then returned to Istana Negara, to be joined by foreign diplomats for the celebrations. Also present were former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.
The Cabinet ministers and their spouses then departed for the Putra World Trade Centre to host the Hari Raya open house which had guests streaming in from 11am to 4.30pm.
Abdullah started the tradition of holding a joint Aidilfitri open house with ministers four years ago as part of cost-cutting measures.
Visitors were treated to various dishes, prepared by 45 chefs. About 200,000 visitors thronged the open house, with 150 security personnel deployed for crowd control. — Bernama
