RAUB: Chinese Muslim Mohamad Firdaus Abdullah and wife are back in hometown for Qing Ming festival to pay tribute to his parents and ancestors.

Zheng Lian Bang, 58, and his Indonesian wife Sarah, 35, and daughter were back in Raub, Pahang, after a lapse of two years.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the couple took leave to return to Raub for Qing Ming prayers each year, joining Zheng’s brothers, sisters-in-law and nephews to visit their parents’ graves at the Hokkien cemetery in Raub.

After marrying Sarah, Zheng was converted to Muslim known as Mohamad Firdaus more than ten years ago.

“My daughter Aishah, five, also joins us so that she knows more about Qing Ming,” he said.

As a Muslim, Sarah joined her husband to visit his parents’ graves but did not burn the prayer items or hold jossticks.

Muslims visit their ancestors’ graves on the first day of Hari Raya, said Sarah.