IMPRESSIVE: Dr Jerip (right) admiring one of the Tang Lung (lantern) on display at the festival on Saturday. Also seen (from left) are Tan and Dr Rahman.
KUCHING: The annual Mooncake Festival here can be promoted as a tourism attraction considering its growing interest, said Assistant Public Health Minister Dr Jerip Susil.
He noted that the festival had also managed to foster ties among the multi-racial communities.
“I am very happy to see the participation of people from various backgrounds, races, and religions in celebrating the mooncake festival. This event should be promoted further apart from preserving it as a Chinese tradition for future traditions.
“We have to realise that this celebration also has a tourism appeal for it could lure many to the city,” he said at the 2012 Mooncake Festival organised by the Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Divisions Chinese Associations (FCA) and Jasa (Special Affairs Department) at the Kuching Waterfront on Saturday.
Among the 500 strong people present were FCA president Temenggong Lu Kim Yong, organising chairman Tan Kay Hok, Pantai Damai assemblyman Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, state Jasa director Hassan Busu and Kuching Resident Abdul Rahman Sebli Senusi.
In his speech, Lu said the objective of FCA, being the main Chinese non-governmental and non-profit organisation in Kuching and Samarahan Divisions, was to unite Chinese associations in the two divisions.
The association was also expected to promote the traditions and cultural values of the Chinese community and to safeguard the interests of the people from all levels of the society.
“To achieve these objectives, we must collaborate with other races and the government.
“We strongly believe that communication and transparency is the best antidote to any conflict and dispute.”