Pakan Chinese celebrate belated Chap Goh Meh with Iban flavour

PAKAN: The local Chinese community held a belated `Chap Goh Meh’ gathering with Iban `flavour’ to mark the closing of Chinese New Year celebration at a coffee shop here Friday night .

Though it was a Chinese event, speeches and announcements were all in the Iban language.

Penghulu Ting Kiu Look who spoke in fluent Iban said that he was glad to see the small Chinese community getting together to share the joy of the festive occasion which rarely happened in the past.

Although that could be due to the small Chinese population here, he felt it was not a reason for them to stay in isolation from the other communities. He noted there were still ethnic Chinese associations set up by the community in the town.

Ting hoped that the Chinese community would remain united and not divided along ethnic lines.

“Unity is vital because we need a strong voice when we make request for anything for the benefit of the community,” he explained.

He also called on his Chinese colleagues to support Barisan Nasional (BN) in the coming election as he believed they had a lot to gain by doing so.

Social Development Minister Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom who was the guest of honour said that he was glad to note that the local Chinese community had enjoyed thriving business due to the improving socio-economic status of the local Iban community.

In the past, local businesses were not as good as most of the Ibans had weak purchasing power, thus not able to buy much goods sold by the Chinese traders.

“Now that the purchasing power of the local Ibans have improved, the Chinese in Pakan also enjoy thriving business,” he said.

“I am pleased to share with you that there is a proposal to develop a new township here to cater for the fast economic growth in the District. I am made to understand that the authority concern is in the process of identifying suitable site,” Mawan said. He urged the Chinese community to vote for the BN government in the coming state election.

Among those present were Pakan District Officer Alex Liau, Meradong/Julau District Council Secretary Adrian Luang, Special Affairs Department (Jasa) liaison Officer for julau Parliamentary constituency, Sylvester Embuas, Pemanca Tekong Ranggi, organizing chairman Wong Pak Meng, Kapitan Wong Liong Hook and other community leaders.