By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Jan 19: Deputy Premier of Sarawak Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng, Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Lo Khere Chiang, and Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap will host a Chinese New Year Combined Open House on the second day of the celebration (Jan 23) this year.
People from all walks of life are invited to celebrate the festival together at the MBKS Community Hall where the open house will start from 10am till 3pm.
“This year, we are hosting a combined open house with MBKS as the primary host. This also shows our spirit of coming together.
“Everyone is welcome to the open house, regardless of race or religion, or even if you are simply spending Chinese New Year in Kuching,” Dr Sim told reporters yesterday (Jan 18), after officiating the light switching ceremony held in conjunction with the CNY celebration at the Kuching White Cat Garden on Jalan Padungan.
Meanwhile, Wee emphasised that the ‘White Cat’ statue represents Sarawak and will be dressed in various costumes for each festive season.
“This is what we call the ‘Sarawak Spirit’. We celebrate every festival, regardless of race or other factors. So we hope you are not only unity in diversity, but harmony in diversity as well. We must maintain this spirit and pass it on to the next generation,” he added.
The mayor also advised the general public not to vandalise the ‘White Cat’ statue, which represents Kuching.
Among others present at the ceremony were Chinese Consul General in Kuching, Xing Weiping, MBKS deputy mayor Hilmy Othman, and MBKS councillor Kho Teck Wan. — DayakDaily
