Chinese New Year Carnival begins today

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ALL SET … Yee (third right) and Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir (second left) inspecting the site of the Chinese New Year Carnival 2012 on Monday.

KOTA KINABALU: The Chinese New Year Carnival 2012 will officially start today, January 17, at Lintasan Deasoka and Gaya Street.

The four-day event, which ends on January 20, is jointly organised by City Hall and the Api-Api Assemblyman Office.

Kapitan Chin Tek Ming, who is one of the event coordinators for the carnival, said the event would be officiated by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman on Jan 17, at 8pm.

Stage performances will start around 6.30pm today and he invites the public to join in and celebrate Chinese New Year.

“The Chinese New Year Carnival is not meant for the Chinese only. It’s for all the people under the 1Malaysia concept,” he said, adding that tourists are also welcomed.

The opening ceremony today will feature lighting of lanterns, 24 Season Drum performance, Chinese cultural dances, fireworks and cutting the Sabah’s largest cake.

The second day of the event, Jan 18, will be attended by the wife of Musa, Datin Seri Panglima Datuk Hajah Faridah Haji Tussin. She will be distributing ang pows and gifts to senior citizens and underprivileged children at 8pm.

Participants of the carnival will be entertained by various performances from schools in Kota Kinabalu and singing contests throughout the carnival.

Meawhile, Deputy Chief Minister cum Api-Api assemblyman Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai will be officiating at the closing of the Chinese New Year Carnival. The closing will see fireworks display and the final stage of the singing competition.

Around 400 stalls will be set up along Gaya Street starting from 6pm to 11pm selling local products, Chinese New Year essential items, food and beverages in conjunction with the event.

The public should take note that Jalan Bandaran and Jalan Gaya, Blocks A and B, will be closed from 6pm to 11pm during the carnival. Parking spaces at Jalan Padang and Jalan Tugu will also be closed on January 17, 18 and 20 from 5pm to 10.30pm.

The event is one of the three carnivals held at Lintasan Deasoka and Jalan Gaya yearly. The other carnivals are the Gaya Christmas Carnival in December and the Tadau Kaamatan Carnival in May.