It is an event for the people, says Yee
KOTA KINABALU:
The Chinese New Year Carnival 2008 is an event for the people and is not politically or racially motivated, said Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai. He said the event is catered to all communities in Sabah and especially in Kota Kinabalu, which is home to people of various races, cultures and religious beliefs. Yee said this in his speech when officially closing the six-day carnival held at Lintasan Deasoka here last night. Also present were Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim, political and community leaders. Iliyas meanwhile said that the carnival breathed new energy into Gaya Street’s night life, presenting numerous entertainment performances and a wide variety of goods on sale at the street market for six days. He said the carnival also embodied the unique Malaysian spirit where the people celebrate every major celebration regardless of ethnicity, race and religion. “This is the uniqueness of our country Malaysia, whose people are of various races and religions but are able to live in peace and harmony and have mutual respect for one another,” he said in his welcoming address. Prior to the official closing of the carnival, there were several performances by talented youths from the city, including traditional Chinese dances, singing and a marching band performance. There was also a 10-minute fireworks show and the grand finals of a singing competition.
