by AUFA MARDHIAH

THE Selangor government will hold a Chinese New Year (CNY) open house on Jan 28, 2023, from 3.30pm to 10.30pm at Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam, Selangor.

Expecting 8,000 attendees, the open house is aimed at sharing historical stories with a theatre producer and director Ling Tang as the programme director, while Putticoop Design Studio founder Lian Kian Lek has been appointed as the event’s creative director.

Various cultural performances such as wayang kulit, drums, dancing and opera will be featured in addition to soprano vocalist Evelyn Toh performing a song titled “Bunga Merah Besar” for the night.

The art performances also attempt to enhance public awareness of the value of traditional Malaysian culture.

The state government will also distribute 2,000 electronic vouchers totalling RM10,000 through the Wavpay e-wallet system. 

Guests who download the application are eligible to win “angpow” as well as 10 prizes worth a total of RM3,000. 

Moreover, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin are also expected to attend as well as Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and his wife.

Aside from the banquet and the distribution of “angpow”, the public can also enjoy numerous market stalls, food trucks and other activities such as calligraphy and painting competitions which will be open to the public from 3pm onwards.

There will also be traditional and cultural performances such as the lion dance.

Among the interesting line-ups for the night’s cultural performance are 24 Festive Drums by Orang Orang Drum Theatre Song Performance from Anak Borneo & Friend, Luminous Dragon Dance by Malaysia Yahya Away Dragon Dance Group and Contemporary Circus Viva Vertical Malaysia, Old Time Jazz, The Shang Sisters Classical singing with the grand orchestra and Evelyn Toh Ching Ling & Malaysia Century Chinese Orchestra (MCCO); Traditional Chinese Opera in Teochew, Cantonese, Hainanese and Hokkien by Teochew Puppet & Opera House and Yan Yang Tian Opera Troupe.

The event will feature 11 main performances by over 150 artists and local art promoters from 18 performance groups. 

Selangor State Industry and Trade Exco Datuk Teng Chang Khim hoped that the programme themed “Spring Returns to the Equator” will allow the attendees to re-experience the atmosphere of a traditional CNY celebration.

The event will be divided into three sessions. The first will be the New Year Art Festival from 4pm to 10pm, with 60 vendors displaying a range of handicrafts, decorative items, plants and CNY goodies. The public will also be able to participate in flower art, paper art and other activities.

“The public will also be able to sample delectable Chinese New Year celebration delicacies, in collaboration with Hijrah Selangor from 8pm onwards. 

“To facilitate the public attending the celebration, several paid car parks will be available as well as Smart Selangor bus facilities numbered SA01 and SA02,” Teng said in a statement.