Mooncake Fest Attended By Diverse Community

KUCHING: The annual Kuching Mooncake Festival at Carpenter Street has been a place of the intermingling of various cultures and races for years.

Former Deputy Works Minister Datuk Yong Khoon Seng expressed delight to see people from the diverse community enjoying a week long celebration with great food, live music, and activities that feature unique cultural traditions.

He pointed out that the Mid-Autumn Festival is the second most important festival to the Chinese people after the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year).

“Much like the Lunar New Year, the Chinese go home for reunion on this special occasion,” he said on Wednesday night after taking a stroll down Carpenter Street carrying a lantern.

Yong was accompanied by festival’s organising chairman Dato Sim Swee Yong together with co-organising chairpersons Sim Kiang Chiok and Amy Tnay.

“We can see unity here where people of different backgrounds and religious beliefs come together, soak in the atmosphere, sharing moments and connect with one another,” he added.

This year’s celebration, Yong emphasised, was aptly themed ‘Intercultural Mooncake Festival’ as it highlighted the close knitted relationships of the multi-racial landscape in Kuching and Sarawak as a whole.

“The vendors are a mix of Chinese, Malay and Dayak people offering various specialties, foods and drinks to visitors. It is this spirit of unity that keeps us together and must be continued and maintained,” he urged.

“I wish the people peace and prosperity on this Mid-Autumn Festival…. and support the government (Barisan Nasional),” he added.

Despite the slightly hazy weather, droves of people still came out to have a good time and appreciate the tastes, sights and sounds of this classic festival. - BP