Joyous firework display lights up KL skies as Malaysia ushers in 2017
KUALA LUMPUR: Fireworks burst into dazzling colours above the Kuala Lumpur skies and elsewhere across the country as Malaysia joined the world in welcoming 2017.
The Kuala Lumpur City Centre ( KLCC) dominated by the iconic Petronas Twin Towers was the place to be in the Malaysian capital as city dwellers and foreigners came together to usher in the new year.
At the KLCC, revellers enjoyed a concert, joined in the countdown and shouted ‘ Happy New Year’ with excitement at the stroke of midnight as they bid farewell to 2016.
Given heightened security concerns nowadays, police personnel were deployed at the celebration venues and their vicinity.
Others opted to mark the advent of 2017 by attending religioustinged events offering special prayers for the well-being of the country and all Malaysians.
In Melaka, the cold and wet environment caused by the rain late this evening did not deter the more than 10,000 people from attending the new year eve celebration at the state level at Dataran 1Malaysia, Klebang.
The event organised by Tourism Melaka was enlivened with a firework display, cultural performances and songs rendered by Malaysian singers such as Datuk Ramli Sarip and Ito Blues Gang.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron also launched the 2017 Melaka Tourism Calendar and in his speech reminded Malaysians to have a new spirit and determination to continue to achieve greater success in 2017.
In Negeri Sembilan, about 5,000 visitors filled the grounds of the d’Tempat Country Club in Bandar Seri Sendayan near Seremban to usher in the year 2017 organised by Matrix Concepts Holdings Bhd which began with a fireworks display.
In George Town, Penang, thousands of people flooded the Penang Times Square in front of M Mall in Jalan Datuk Keramat to usher in the new year, with a concert by local artistes, dance performances as well as a fireworks display.
Almost 5,000 people were entertained by a concert themed ‘ Let’s Emoji’ by local artistes, sponsored by the MY FM radio station in Penang Times Square.
Many others flooded the Gurney Paragon Mall in Persiaran Gurney to watch local singing sensation Dayang Nurfaizah as well as dance performances before hundreds of balloons were released into the air at exactly midnight.
In Putrajaya, visitors who flocked to Dataran Putrajaya in Precinct 3 were entertained by various digital light and firework displays simultaneously at midnight.
The digital firework display which was held for the first time was launched from the Palace of Justice building and lasted for six minutes.
It was introduced in conjunction with the Festival of Light and Motion Putrajaya ( LAMPU) which began yesterday and will end tonight.
In Selangor, members of the public witnessed the Humanity Concert held to celebrate the new year’s eve at the Selangor state level at the Independence Square in Shah Alam.
Meanwhile, electrical engineer Wong Tuck Chong, 30, said he could find solace by participating in the religious activity on the 2017 new year eve.
“In the past, I went to the concert and dined to celebrate the new year, but this year, I preferred to find solace through religion because it was more meaningful,” he said when met at a Buddhist temple in the federal capital.
Voluntary worker Emily Sim, 42, said she gave free meals to the homeless people regardless of race around Pudu to usher in the 2017 new year. — Bernama