S’wakians living elsewhere to miss reunion dinner at home

KUCHING: Sarawakians living abroad or away from their hometowns will miss the annual Chinese New Year (CNY) reunion dinner tonight and celebrating the Year of the Ox.

The various standard operating procedures due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, along with travel restrictions everywhere have meant this will be a CNY like no other.

Systems architect Elliot Foo, who is an Australian permanent resident, said this would be the second year he will not return to Kuching for the festival.

“We didn’t go back last year because my father-in-law passed away so we could not leave Perth. I thought I could visit home sometime in the later part of the year, but then the coronavirus struck.

“This year we will have a potluck and barbecue dinner with my wife’s side of the family, who are originally from Hong Kong,” he told The Borneo Post on Monday.

The 48-year-old said he feels bad not going home to celebrate and spend time with his ageing parents, especially his mother.

“She is physically healthy but is affected mentally by the endless pandemic. She has had bouts of depression over the past year.

“Thankfully my parents are living with my youngest sister and her family. Even though she has two young kids to look after, she is fully devoted to taking care of our parents’ well-being. For that I’m really grateful for such a ‘superwoman’ sister,” he said, adding that another brother living in Singapore also could not make it home this year.

Mal Liang, 29, said the reunion dinner at home has always been a big do, usually hosted by his eldest uncle, with whom his grandparents live.

“We have the entire crowd, some 30 of us, over for dinner. Sometimes we order from restaurants, sometimes we do potluck buffet. It is great to catch up with everyone because most of us are not based in Kuching and we only get to see each other during this time,” he said.

The Taiwan-based advertising designer noted this will be the first time he spends Chinese New Year away from home in all the years he has been residing outside Sarawak, first in Kuala Lumpur and then in Taiwan, as he always makes it a point to go home for at least a week.

Liang said another highlight of Chinese New Year that he would miss is the family’s road trip on the second day to Sibu, where his mother’s twin brother lives.

“My parents, my sister, and I would get up really early for it. Despite the lousy road conditions, we always enjoy our journey. It is another round of reunion dinner with my uncle and aunt. They don’t have kids, so they love to have us over,” he said, adding that he is worried for them in particular, with the Covid-19 situation in Sibu.

Liang said to celebrate the festival this year he will join some fellow Malaysians.

“Just a small gathering to count down to a better Year of the Ox. I hope everyone stays safe and healthy wherever they are,” he said.

New Zealander Hayley Chiu, whose father is Sarawakian, is disappointed she would not be able to visit her paternal grandparents and other relatives in Kuching.

The 20-year-old student said she only gets to bond with her Malaysian relatives during Chinese New Year, something she looks forward to every year.

“Besides that, I really love the food, especially the pak lo braised duck! When we go house visiting, I like to try all the various homemade goodies. My favourite is the seaweed snack that’s wrapped with dried fish meat,” she said.

On how she will spend this coming weekend, Chiu said it will be a Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration at home with her family and her aunt’s.

“My mother is of Vietnamese descent, born in Australia, while my father’s younger sister is married to a Vietnamese. My maternal grandparents suggested that we should honour our Vietnamese roots by celebrating Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, so that’s what we will be doing.

“The adults are actually taking two days off work this week in order to celebrate the festival. We will be making all the traditional Tet dishes, including a type of sticky rice known as banh chung,” she explained.

Perak-based analyst Geraldine Chang, 31, said she was a bit sceptical when she booked her flights home to Kuching for Chinese New Year.

“I did not put too much hope in it as my previous attempts to return home last year were also impacted by flight cancellations.