KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Malaysians celebrated Eid al-Fitr on Wednesday with thousands attended the annual Open House hosted by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Muslim holy month of Ramadan, is celebrated on Wednesday in Malaysia.

Among the popular means of celebrating the religious holiday are open houses with Mahathir hosting some 50,000 members of the public at the official residence.

Accompanying him were members of his cabinet who greeted guests at the annual event, which saw Malaysians of all races and faiths come under one roof in a show of harmony and unity.

The open house concept that guests and even strangers can visit the homes of those celebrating during the holiday, to wish them well and enjoy the feast prepared by their hosts with the aim of fostering closer inter-communal ties and is practised by members of all faiths.

Other official open houses include one to be hosted by Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at his Istana Abdulaziz palace on Thursday, in his home state of Pahang, with other major ones hosted by royal households and political parties expected in the coming days.