Many of them are fathers, mothers, husbands, wives. As they give their all to their jobs, this sometimes comes at the expense of those who love them.
Some go up against life-threatening situations on a daily basis, while others put their own health at risk. Their sacrifices make them the unsung heroes of Malaysia.
What must it have been like for Muslim frontliners during Ramadan, and what are they looking forward to this Raya?
Doing it for society
Mohd Faizal Samsudin is a firefighter who leads team of 11 at the Kota Raja Fire and Rescue Station in Klang.
“Throughout Ramadan alone, my team and I had to put out four fires in Klang in residences and factories,” he told FMT.
Despite the fasting month, the 46-year-old has still worked from 8.30am to 8.30pm, taking a 12-hour break before starting his next 12-hour shift.
Putting out fires has been doubly challenging as the country is experiencing extremely hot weather. He revealed that two of the fires broke out during the day, when the heat was at its most intense.
And yet, Faizal, who has been a firefighter for over two decades, remains passionate about serving others – despite often having to put his life on the line.
The payoff for Faizal, who has five children aged six to 15, comes in simple ways.
“Once, someone came up to me saying ‘abang pernah tolong saya dulu’ (‘you have helped me before’). I could not recall what I did, but he could. That means a lot.”
And although he has lost count of the number of fires he put out over the years, those he has helped save remain indebted to his service and sacrifice.
“What we do today is for our society. When we help others in need, someday others will help us too, God willing. I believe in that.”
During Hari Raya, Faizal will remain on duty. “Only two members from my team are allowed to go on leave, so I gave the opportunity to my subordinates,” he shared.
“I am already used to working during Raya, and my family is understanding.”
Nevertheless, he is still looking forward to indulging in his favourite ketupat during the festive season.
A passion to serve
For inspector Muhammad Rusydi Ghulam Ahmad, an investigating officer with the criminal division at the South Klang police headquarters, what has kept him going throughout Ramadan is his passion to serve his country.
His schedule has remained gruelling throughout the holy month as he works 24-hour shifts, with one day off to rest before starting on the next 24-hour shift.
Working such hours can be tiring during the fasting period, he said, especially as this is his first year on the force.
He added that time management is key: he makes sure to take 30 minutes to break fast in the evening, on top of short breaks during his shift to keep energy levels up.
But there are more pressing challenges, like dealing with criminals on a daily basis, and missing out on family time – he has a one-year-old daughter – due to the long hours at work.
Yet, the 28-year-old remains jovial and finds the job rewarding. “Being able to solve crimes and arrest criminals are the best parts of my job,” he said with a smile.
He looks forward to his Hari Raya break, even though he’s on standby in the event of emergencies. And after spending time with family in the Klang Valley, he’ll be off to his wife’s hometown in Kelantan.
“It will be my daughter’s first long-distance trip,” he said proudly, before revealing the other thing he’s looking forward to: “My mother’s ‘daging dendeng’!”
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