Non-Chinese students among winners at lantern-making competition

September 18, 2010

I have received six invitations for Mooncake Festival Celebrations tonight. I will try to attend as many as possible but I might force to miss a few due to tight schedule and time constraint.

I am very impressed with the initiatives taken by various local resident associations in organising celebration events of traditional festival that could foster closer tie among the community members. I am particularly glad to see that the winners of Lantern Making Competition held at Pesta Tanglung Aeon comprises Malay, Chinese and Indian students ;-)

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 – A Malay and an Indian student were among the winners of a lantern-making competition organised by a chain store in Cheras here today.

Harisya Rafah Halim and Hahmiri A/P Ganesh emerged winner and second runner up in the 13-15 age category of the competition organised by the AEON South shopping centre (also known as Jusco Cheras Selatan) in Balakong.

AEON’s general manager for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Branding, Noryahwati Mohd Noh said the lantern-making competition, received an overwhelming response with participation from 200 people of all races.

Three people emerged joint runners up in the category namely Lau Hui Jia, Ng Pei Kuan and Lim Kai Chin. Earlier, more than 1,000 people of all races carrying lanterns in various shape and sizes participated in a lantern parade at the shopping complex.

Also present at the event were Serdang Member of Parliament Teo Nie Ching and AEON’s senior executive general manager for the shopping centre’s business division, Tomio Yokoyama. – Bernama

Taken from The Malaysian Insider.

【中国报】张念群：巫裔参与灯笼制作多元种族文化互交融

（无拉港18日讯）沙登区国会议员张念群说，马来同胞在开斋节派发“青包”及参与华人中秋节灯笼制作比赛，象征着我国多元种族文化已相互交融，国民应该学习珍惜大马这种独有的文化资产。

她说，她在开斋节受邀出席巫裔同胞门户开放活动，看到马来同胞学习华人的传统文化，派发青包给出席者，各族相处融洽。

“这说明了各族学习及融会各族的文化，创造出属于大马独一无二的文化特征，这值得国民珍惜及共同维护的资产。”

她说，令人遗憾的是，我国独立53 年，难以避免仍有小撮人士发表种族主义或宗教敏感言论来伤害其他种族，破坏团结。

张念群认为，国民团结，应该从人个人做起，以便真正珍惜多元文化社会，才能体会及了解大马的多元文化。

张念群今晚是出席无拉港AEON举办的中秋晚会提灯会上致词时，这样指出。

出席者包括AEON公关与品牌总经理诺雅华蒂、高级执行总经理横山富美男、加影市议员李亚成与李继香。

原本主办单位邀请教育部副部长拿督魏家祥开幕，但他却临时无法出席，主办当局只好临时找张念群出席开幕，张念群也不介意“补上”，大方出席活动。

她事后受询时说，她不介意主办当局最后一分钟找她，毕竟这里是她的选区。

张念群也在晚会，颁发礼券给制作灯笼比赛优胜者。