KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu’s Chinese Peranakan Association put their heritage on display with cultural performances and a variety of cuisines at a mega festival.
Sixty-two of the association’s members were joined by 88 guests of Peranakan descent from Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Singapore and Indonesia at the 34th Malaysian Chinese Cultural Festival at Kampung Cina, recently.
Association secretary Yap Chuan Bin said its members showcased traditional food and beverages, their unique lifestyle, songs and music at the event that drew 5,000 people from all over the country.
“This is the association’s first official participation in a national-level event since being formed a year ago.
“Apart from taking part in the various events organised at the festival, we also took our guests to historial sites like Admiral Cheng Ho’s shrine in Sungai Nerus and to the peranakan settlement in Tirok,” said Yap.
The festival is an annual event organised in rotation by states since 1984. It is one of the main programmes under the auspices of the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Hua Zong), an organisation that represents all 13 Chinese Assembly Halls in Malaysia.
Terengganu Chinese Assembly Hall president Tan Beng San said 60 men and women had kicked started the commencement for the festival by running a torch relay spanning over 2,000km from Bukit Cina, Malacca last May 21.
Tan said the torch passed through Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Pahang before finally arriving in Terengganu earlier this month.
“The torch has travelled all over Terengganu to promote the festival and to spread the spirit among the community, and usher in the annual celebration,” said Tan.
He added that funds raised from the festival will be channelled towards ten primary and one secondary Chinese school here.
Among the festival’s attractions were cultural shows, 14 booths showcasing the different Chinese clans, Chinese calligraphy demonstrations, acupuncture treatment, a street procession of 20 groups displaying Chingay from Penang, long-stalk walkers from Batu Pahat in Johor, a 200ft dragon dance from Penang, colourful floats and brass bands.
Also held were an exhibition and photography competition for the public.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak approved an allocation of RM300,000 for the festival that was officiated by MCA president and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Terengganu Trade and Industry committee chairman Datuk Tengku Putera Tengku Awang.
Liow, who read out Najib’s speech, said that the Chinese civilisation had been preserved until today due to the attitude of the people who gave high respect to the elderly.
"The good ethics has become part of Malaysia's culture which is not limited to the Chinese, but also other races in Malaysia.
"This will help develop the country and reduce conflicts and differences as well as emphasise on similarities between us," he said.
Najib expressed his gratitude to all the races for the political stability the country had achieved via various people-friendly programmes.
He said that as a responsible government, the leaders would try to ensure that no one was left behind in the development process.