PETALING JAYA: The Labor Day and Hari Raya break sees the return of crowds at major tourist destinations and restaurants throughout Malaysia.

The relaxation of Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP) from May 1 no longer requiring face masks and scanning of MySejahtera app was like a booster to encourage more outings.

Starting last weekend, the North-South Expressway has been full of cars exiting Kuala Lumpur, even at midnight.

Photographs of crowds at tourist spots and people lining up outside restaurants at various places across the country have gone viral on social media.

Tourist destinations and restaurants in Penang, Ipoh, Melaka and Johor have been packed with people.

Roads leading to Genting Highlands and Cameron Highlands were also packed with cars.

Apart from celebrating Hari Raya, people also take advantage of the long break to travel within Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur, which is normally ‘empty’ during festive seasons, is the opposite this time round.

A sea of people has been seen at major shopping malls in Bukit Bintang, Chinatown and KLCC.

The long queue to enter a shop or wait for the food ordered did not seem to damper the spirit of shoppers and travelers.