THE Penang Miaohui organisers are gearing up to usher in the Year of the Rabbit by staging a series of cultural events during their annual Chinese New Year (CNY) celebration on Jan 28 next year.
The Miaohui celebration on Jan 28 coincides with the seventh day of the Chinese New Year next year. The 2023 CNY falls on Jan 22 (Sunday).
The organiser of next year’s Miaohui is the Penang Chinese Clan Council (PCCC) while the planning and coordinating partner is the Penang Cultural Inheritors Society (Inheritors).
Penang Miaohui ran on a hybrid format – partly physical and partly online – this year while it was held fully online in 2021 due to the virus infections.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said as the pandemic is now under control, the organisers have decided that the Miaohui for 2023 can be held in physical mode.
He said 200,000 participants and visitors are expected to throng the heritage area of George Town.
Chow said the Penang Miaohui has come through two full cycles of the Chinese zodiac, having started in the Year of the Rabbit in 1999, which means it is now in its 24th year.
“Miaohui is an indispensable event during Chinese New Year and everyone looks forward to it.
“To restore the celebration to its former physical mode will be quite a challenge for the organising committee. I hope the organisers will persevere.
“I call on everyone, especially the younger people to join as Miaohui volunteers, to learn more about our cultural heritage, broaden our horizons, network and take this opportunity to improve ourselves,” Chow said during his speech at the press conference on the 2023 Miaohui Celebration.
He added that the budget to organise the Miaohui for next year was estimated at RM800,000.
He said like the previous year, the state would allocate RM200,000 for the event and helped source RM400,000 from corporate bodies to help the organisers.
“We hope everyone can continue to support this annual event for our cultural heritage to be passed on to the next generation. Anyone interested to contribute towards the Miaohui Fund can contact the organisers or Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng at 016-4459808,” Chow added.
He also expressed his gratitude to the volunteers who have contributed selflessly and worked hard for the success of Miaohui over the years, and the major sponsors who have actively responded and silently supported Inheritors and the Miaohui celebrations in the past.
PCCC chairman Leong Keng Fei said many preparations have been put in place since March this year so that more people could understand the history of the Chinese ancestors in Penang.
“We want to celebrate this cultural inheritance and hope that people from all walks of life can understand and support the event. We want our colourful culture in Penang to be passed on to the next generation,” Leong said.
Event main planner Choo Boon Chiang said the Miaohui on Jan 28 would be celebrated from 4pm to 11pm.
He added that the theme for this year’s Miaohui is ‘Re-Start’ and the celebration would involve 23 Chinese clan houses.
Also present were Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng, PCCC deputy chairman Ho Swee Choon, vice chairmen Ang Oon Lye, Pang Tee Chiang, Chan Chee Chong and Datuk Khor Wan Tat, secretary Lim Choon Hwang, treasurer Datuk Ong Kuen Heng.
Others included representatives of the Penang Cultural Inheritors Society such as Kwoh Shoo Chen (chairperson/advisor of Miaohui), Chong Jian Mei (secretary/assistant event main planner of Miaohui) and Ong Han Yee (member/assistant event main planner of Miaohui).
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar
Video by Law Suun Ting