CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATED IN FESTIVE MOOD NATIONWIDE

KUALA LUMPUR,  Jan 29  (Bernama) -- Chinese communities across Malaysia are celebrating the New Year today in a festive and meaningful atmosphere, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake - a symbol believed to bring joy, positive energy, and abundant prosperity.

The excitement of Chinese New Year is not limited to the Chinese community alone but is shared by Malaysians of all backgrounds, who take advantage of the public holiday and long weekend to spend quality time with their families through various activities.

As part of the celebrations, Buddhists visit temples to perform religious rituals and make wishes before gathering with family members and attending open houses.

In the nation's capital, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi joined hundreds of people at the Chinese New Year Open House hosted by MCA at Wisma MCA, Jalan Ampang.

The event, which was also attended by several Cabinet ministers, featured various cultural performances and traditions, including the tossing of yee sang—a symbolic gesture representing prosperity, abundance, and good fortune for the Chinese community.

In PENANG, a Bernama survey found that as early as 7 am, temples across the state—including the historic 175-year-old Snake Temple in Bayan Lepas—were crowded with Buddhists offering prayers and making wishes before visiting their families.

One of them, Chia Ean Cheng, 35, who works in Singapore, said he returned to Bayan Baru to celebrate Chinese New Year with his family and chose to pray at the Snake Temple before continuing his visits to relatives’ homes.

In Perlis, the public holiday and long weekend provided an opportunity for the Chinese community to return to their hometowns and celebrate the festival with their loved ones.

Lim Ting Fei, 25, described this year’s celebration as especially meaningful, as she was finally able to return to her hometown in Sanglang near Arau after missing the opportunity last year.

In Selangor, Eric Chua, 47, of Klang, was among the hundreds of Buddhists who gathered at the Kuan Yin Temple in Klang to perform religious ceremonies in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration.

He said that visiting and praying at the temple is an annual tradition before heading back to his hometown in Port Klang. This year, his family is hosting an open house to mark the occasion.

In TERENGGANU,  Lee Peng Chu, 37, from Taman Sri Manir, Kuala Terengganu here said that although the Chinese community in his area is small, the festive spirit remains alive as neighbours and friends of various races and religions visit his home to celebrate.

"Every Chinese New Year, my family gathers at my parents' house in the morning. In the afternoon, I return home to prepare for guests. Many of my friends are Malay, so I order halal food from local Malay traders," he said.

Meanwhile, in MELAKA,  Melvin Chua Kew Wei, 46, hosted a lively Chinese New Year gathering at his home in Tangga Batu, where more than 60 family members came together to celebrate the festival.

"Usually, we work together to prepare for the celebration, cooking dishes such as spring rolls, steamed fish, yee sang, and more. This year, we have many relatives visiting from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore," he said.

In KELANTAN, Ah Tong, 77, expressed his gratitude and happiness for still having the opportunity to celebrate the Chinese New Year with his family and friends.

In NEGERI SEMBILAN, nearly 5,000 people, including international visitors, gathered at Si Thian Kong Temple in Kuala Pilah as early as 7.30 am to perform religious ceremonies in celebration of the Chinese New Year.

The temple’s Media Communications Director, Liaw Zi Xhuan, 29, shared that, in addition to the religious ceremony, the temple also organised various activities, including stage performances, a food carnival, and a musical water fountain show at night.

In KEDAH, Jessica Tan, 27, and seven friends from Taman Rakyat, Alor Setar, celebrated Chinese New Year in their own unique way, starting the day with leisure activities before continuing the tradition of visiting family and relatives.

Dressed in red, they arrived at the recreation park as early as 6.30 am. to complete a 10-kilometer run, embracing the festive spirit of the occasion.

In PERAK, it has become a tradition for Wong Chin Wai, 42, and his family to order food from a halal caterer every Chinese New Year, ensuring that friends of all races and religions feel welcome when visiting their homes.

“This is our tradition every year—we befriend everyone, regardless of background, race, or religion. We respect and welcome all, which is why we order halal food for our guests, especially our Muslim friends," he said.

Meanwhile, in JOHOR, more than 300 members of the Chinese community gathered at the Wong Shee Fun Great Hall, Wisma Tionghua for the Chinese New Year. The event is organised by the Johor Bahru Tiong-Hua Federation and Chinese Community Non-Governmental Organisations.

Guests participated in the traditional yee sang tossing, a symbolic ritual believed to bring prosperity, wealth, and success in all endeavours.

In addition to enjoying a variety of festive delicacies, attendees were treated to cultural performances, including traditional dance shows and Chinese calligraphy demonstrations.

-- BERNAMA