BAU: Chinese New Year festivities here ended yesterday with a colourful Chap Goh Mei celebration in Siniawan Heritage Town which drew more than 3,000 people.
The event also saw a Chingay performance that kept the local community and tourists spellbound as well as a lion dance and a traditional drumming performance.
Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian and his wife Datin Seri Enn Ong Siok Ean together with Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh attended the celebration on Feb 5.
According to Sim, the big celebration of Chap Goh Mei in Siniawan was finally held after two years due to Covid-19 restrictions.
He said this event which has been a tradition among the Hakka community for more than a century is now participated by everyone regardless of background.
“After 60 years of the formation of Malaysia, now we see Sarawak has harmony in terms of race, religion and culture and we here respect each other.
“This is an important basis for creating stability in the state … if we have a stable government, then we can make further plans to achieve progress and improve our economy,” he said.
Miro and his team together with the Swee Guk Kung Temple Management had planned a few months ago for the Chap Goh Mei parade.
“This is an event for all local people, not only Chinese, Malay, Bidayuh or Iban, all races came together to celebrate this festival.
“Although Siniawan is a small town, it is full of festivals and events, thus elevating the name and bringing life to this town,” he said.
Towards this end he said he is committed to making this town ‘alive’ with a lot of attractions such as art, tourism and gastronomy products.
“That is why we will try to make it a reality after all the projects we plan are completed by the end of this year.
“We have many tourism and product plans around Siniawan town and I hope these plans can be realised by the end of this year.
“The tourism sector in Siniawan will transform the town into a unique destination for tourists to visit,” he said.
Siniawan Kapitan Bong Boon Koh said the Chap Goh Mei parade is a tradition of the ancestors of Siniawan residents which has now become an attraction for foreign and domestic visitors.
“This parade was joined by 34 groups consisting of lion and dragon dancers from Kuching and also here (Siniawan),” he said.
