Some men holding down the buffalo before it is slaughtered at the compound of Bukit Kalam Mosque.
LABUAN: Hari Raya Aidiladha here this year was still merry despite the higher cost of sacrificial animals for the celebration.
Bukit Kalam Mosque chairman Abdul Rahim Haji Jumat said yesterday that the celebration was merrier this year as more cows and buffaloes were slaughtered compared to last year.
“This year we had eight cows and two buffaloes whereas last year we only slaughtered seven cows,”he said, adding that the cow cost around RM4,000 this year compared to RM3,800 last year.
Abdul Rahim added that some of the sacrificial animals were bought from mainland Sabah and some from Labuan, while some of the animals they purchased were from funds collected by the villagers and some from individual sponsors.
“The meat from the slaughtered cows would be given to qualified recipients and some would be given to the villagers, he said.
Tamrin Abdul Aziz, who was on duty at the slaughter house here for the Hari Raya Aidiladha, said that some of the cows even could even reach up to RM5,000 and agreed with Abdul Rahim that the price had increased this year.
Meanwhile, a Labuan Veterinary Services Department officer, Ahmad Mujahid, said their department had issued more than 50 permits for the villagers on the island to slaughter the sacrificial animals.
“Before Hari Raya celebration, we had organised a seminar for those involved in slaughtering the animals for the Hari Raya Aidiladha so that they would comply with our requirements, such as to ensure the slaughter procedures and the cleanliness must be taken care for their surrounding well-being.
“On Saturday, a team from our department visited the villages of those who had applied for the permit to monitor the situation,”he said, adding that they would normally check on the animals’ health before they could be slaughtered.
Meanwhile, the Labuan Bugis Association of Malaysia has been organising various social, religious and welfare programmes to assist its 600 members since its inception in 2009.
Chairman Osman Tuyan said the association also carried out its religious obligations by distributing sacrificial meat, in conjunction with Aidiladha celebrations yesterday.
He said the association would continue to play its role by uniting communities of the various races in the country, apart from increasing its membership nationwide by focusing on religious, welfare and social activities for members.