Annual parade is a big attraction
Once a year, the busiest streets in the heart of Johor Baru are cordoned off and emptied to make way for one of the most anticipated and liveliest parades in Johor – chingay.
The chingay procession, which has a 148-year-old history in the state and is held on the 21st day of the Lunar new Year, marks the event with an array of vibrant festivities.
By 5pm, Jalan Wong Ah Fook along with other main roads in the city centre are closed to traffic as thousands of people, including foreigners, line the streets where the chingay procession will pass.
The majority of eager spectators try to gather as close as possible to the main stage set up along Jalan Wong Ah Fook.
At night, visitors are entertained with a slew of performances, including traditional Malay dances in the spirit of 1Malaysia.
The hype builds up as dignitaries arrive and the emcee announces that the procession is drawing nearer to the main stage.
For the past three years, Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has been gracing the event, much to the delight of the rakyat.
His presence at the festival has clearly made it all the more special for Johoreans and has contributed to the growing number of people who throng the street for a night of loud and colourful tradition.
Sultan Ibrahim created history by becoming the first Johor Ruler to attend the annual affair in 2016 and the people have expressed their love and support for His Majesty during the event.
When participants pass the main stage during the procession, the scores of people not only chant the usual “Heng Ah!” (prosperity) and “Huat Ah!” (good fortune), but also “Daulat Tuanku!” in respect and adoration for their Sultan.
Among the crowd this year was Pauline Ang, 32, who said that chingay was an event her family looked forward to each year.
“My family and I have been participants for the past five years and it has been very exciting, especially since His Majesty also joins in the celebration.
“His presence only reaffirms his love for the people and Johoreans will stand united no matter the odds,” she added.
Foreigners have been also taking the opportunity to catch a glimpse of Sultan Ibrahim while enjoying the festivities.
British mother-and-son duo Hilda Dixon, 85, and Bill Dixon, 50, were also watching the procession.
Bill, who works in Singapore as a construction company manager, said they decided to make a quick trip here to join in the celebration.
“My friends told me about chingay, so my mum and I wanted to witness it for ourselves and also possibly meet the Johor Ruler, as we have heard many good things about him,” he said.
The chingay procession was held on March 8 this year and just like the years before, the streets came alive with deities from the five main clans in Johor – Hokkien, Hakka, Teochew, cantonese and Hainanese – taken on a tour on foot.
Besides deities carried on palanquins, the spectators also watched lion and dragon dance performances, flag bearers, big head dolls and beautifully decorated floats.
The participants paraded along a 7.8km-long route starting from the Xing Gong Temple along Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek and passing through various roads, including Jalan Wong Ah Fook.
Another huge event that attracts people from all walks of life and from different parts of the world is the annual World Kite Festival held at Bukit Layang-Layang in Pasir Gudang.
Organised for the 23rd time this year, the festival saw some 800 locals and 250 international kite flyers showing off their kites in different shapes and colours.
Among them was Korean Kim Yoon Sik, 64, who brought along 10 kites featuring different animal designs to take part in the five-day competition.
“All the kites are handmade and each piece took me about three months to complete.
“I have been participating in the festival for 15 years. Making kites has been one of my hobbies for 20 years now,” he said.
Mechanical engineer Volkar Hoberg from Germany proudly flew his 15m-long “I Love Malaysia” kite along with a 6m-long kite shaped like the popular cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants.
“Having taken part in this event for the past 14 years, I am fascinated by the local delicacies here and enjoy them very much.
“That is why I decided to fly the ‘I Love Malaysia’ kite, as I am attracted by the beauty of the culture here,” Hoberg said.