Annual Christmas parade attracts crowd of over 5,000
SIBU: Over 5,000 Christians from various churches and well-wishers took to the street in an annual Christmas parade here yesterday – thanks largely to the fine weather.
The festive mood was already in the air as they gathered at Dataran Tun Tuanku Bujang Phase One (Sibu Town Square Phase One) as early as 5pm.
The annual Christmas procession organised by the Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS), Sibu branch, which started at 6pm, was hosted by the Catholic Church under the chairmanship of Monsignor Michael Lee.
Among the notable figures joining the procession was Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King.
This year’s procession was themed ‘I bring tidings of Great Joy, Jesus, the Messiah and Lord to be shared by all’.
The procession was led by the Sacred Heart Bagpipe School Band, Tung Hua School Band, 1st Girls’ Brigade Company and 1st Boys’ Brigade Malaysia.
Prior to the procession – there was an opening prayer, praise and worship, scripture reading, and Christmas message by Catholic Bishop Rt Rev Joseph Hii.
This was followed by the lighting of Christmas candles by chairman of ACS, Sibu Branch Pastor Ting Leh Na, Bishop Hii, Lee, President of Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference (SCAC) Reverend Dr Tie King Tai, vicar of St John’s Church Rev Ramdan Mejem, Superintendent of Borneo Evangelical Mission Pastor Welly Sigo, Methodist Sarawak Iban Annual Conference (SIAC) representative and Tiong.
In jovial mood, participants marched along Town Square, Bujang Suntong Road, Island Road, Channel Road, Mission Road, Kampung Nyabor Road, Central Road, Wong Nai Siong Road, back to Kampung Nyabor Road and Town Square.
Meanwhile, the towering 100-foot Christmas tree – the centrepiece of Sibu Town Square this year – lighted up on Monday evening spruced up the festive ambience.
This year’s Christmas tree is the tallest to be put up by the Sibu Municipal Council in recent years.