Chinese community celebrate Chap Goh Mei with cautious optimism

Wong (front) takes a selfie with family members at his hometown in Sibu.

MIRI (Feb 16): Most of the Chinese community here observed the Chap Goh Mei celebration yesterday on a moderate scale while staying vigilant in light of the recent spike in cases of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

For Allan Wong, the Chap Goh Mei celebration centred around the reunion dinner to mark the end of the Spring Festival.

“To me, Chap Goh Mei is another day for the close family members to get together while celebrating the last day of Chinese New Year.

“There is no special celebration for the day and we normally will having our own reunion dinner at home,” he revealed.

A mother of four, Shirley Tai, said there is nothing more important than continuing to ensure her family is stay safe from the Covid-19 virus.

Tai (second left) and family share in the festive joy.

Before the pandemic hit the world, she said her family normally had their reunion dinner at the restaurant.

“But now, we prefer to it at home as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 virus,” she explained.

Another celebrant Andy Jong said the temple normally holds mass prayers to observe Chap Goh Mei.

Andy Jong

“But now, we are unable to carry out the traditional practice of the Chap Goh Mei celebration due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” he noted.

Nevertheless, he was grateful that his family could get together through the reunion dinner to celebrate the day on a moderate scale.

Jong also expressed the wish of everyone that the world would soon be free from the Covid-19 restrictions so that people can get back to their normal lifestyle.

from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3sIlN2K
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