A touch of old Shanghai

A touch of old Shanghai

One for the album: (From right) Lim Poh Hang, 50, dressed as the God of Wealth, taking a picture of his friends Yang Yi (God of Health), 45, and Tan Aik Hiang (God of Prosperity), 46, at the lighting ceremony.

IT IS all beginning to look very festive in the George Town heritage enclave as work is now under way for the annual Chinese New Year Cultural and Heritage Celebration.

For starters, the over nine-metre high grey and white arch decorated with gold lanterns and a red flowerball in Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling is 90% completed.

The streets are also adorned with 1,200 bright red lanterns of various sizes.

Organising committee chairperson Winnie Teh Lay Hong said the decorations, especially on the arch, would reflect a ‘Shanghai style’ to bring people back to the 1950s colonial era.

“We want the young people learn about the history of their grandparents and ancestors.

“We want the young to know how their ancestors came from China to Penang or elsewhere in Malaysia to work and live,” she said during the lighting up ceremony of the arch and lanterns on Wednesday.

Arch of success: Media personnel, organising committee members and onlookers waiting for the lighting ceremony to begin at Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling in George Town, Penang.

She added that the lanterns would be lighted daily from 7pm to midnight until Chap Goh Meh.

“The setting up of the decorations will begin on the third day of Chinese New Year,” she said.

The event is jointly organised by the Penang Chinese Clan Council, Penang Clan Associations Youth Committee and the Penang Govern-ment.

It will be held from 3pm to midnight on Feb 16.

Some 10,000 people are expected to attend the celebrations and admission is free.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was present to officiate at the lighting ceremony, said the event had been held annually for the past five years.

“It is not easy to organise such an event, in terms of financial resources,” he said.

It is learnt that preparations for the event came up to a cost of RM600,000.

Some of the expenses were covered by E & O Hotel, cruise liner operator Star Cruises and the state government.

The Gods of Wealth, Health and Prosperity and a lion dance performance welcomed Lim who later went on a short walkabout in the area.

~News courtesy of The Star~