Mooncake festival a joyous occasion

Story & pix by Victor Seow

TANJONG Bunga assemblymember Teh Yee Cheu spent a joyous mooncake festival on Sept 26 with his constituents at Taman Seri Setia.

Organised by the Tanjong Bunga Voluntary Safety Patrol Unit (Pasukan Keselamatan Sukarela Pulau Pinang/PKSPP), the three-hour event held on the grounds of the Block G Basketball court saw residents regardless of race and faith coming together for fun, entertainment and solidarity as Malaysians.

Others which were part of the organising team included Tanjung Bunga Hock Teik Soo, Tanjung Bunga Hock Teik Soo Lion Dance Troupe, Poay Wah School Alumni and Persatuan Dewa Heng Seng Tong.

One of the activities that left a deep impression in the hearts of the residents was the wushu performance by the students of Ding Feng Wushu Academy that also earned the applause of the audience.

Other activities were solving puzzles, singing competition, lion dance performance and a special appearance of a lass who dressed up as Chang Er, the mythical Goddess of the Moon in Chinese folklore.

This mooncake festival provides all of us with the perfect opportunity to mingle around in unity and joy. It is a time of togetherness for family members, friends and neighbours. This, moreover, allows our younger generation to gain a deeper understanding of our culture and traditional beliefs,” said Teh in his speech.

Also with Teh at the event was Taman Seri Setia village development and security committee (JKKK) chairman Koay Seng Lye.

Meanwhile, JKKK Lip Sin in Batu Uban, Bayan Baru did not miss out on the fun and celebration too when it celebrated its very own Mooncake Festival the following day on Sept 27 at the Silver Jubilee Hall in Sungai Dua.

Its chairman, Chan Soon Aun, who together with his team members meticulously organised the celebration and ensured those who turned up did not leave with empty stomachs.

Food was served buffet style and a slide presentation that featured the positive changes in Lip Sin was shown.

The Goddess of the Moon Chang Er was present too, albeit impersonated by a young woman.

Not to forget was the lucky draw that kept most guests glued to their seats till the event ended at around 10pm.

The attractive prizes were a LED television, vouchers for Sunshine Square supermarket worth RM500, electrical appliances and hampers.

This mooncake or lantern festival is an annual event for Lip Sin. It shows our deep-rooted Chinese values and traditions which will never be consumed by modernisation,” Chan said.

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