Penang folk come out in droves to celebrate CNY after two muted years

Felynn Leong, 17 (right) taking picture together with her mother Sharon Cheng, 45 (left) and her aunty Nicole Choong, 35 after praying during the first day of Chinese New Year at The Goddess of Mercy Temple at Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling in George Town, Penang. ( January 22,2022 ). —ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: After more than two years of muted celebrations, people came out in droves on the first day of Chinese New Year to visit temples and relatives.

However, despite the high volume of vehicles especially at temple areas, the traffic was smooth as at lunch hour.

At The Goddess of Mercy Temple in Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, hundreds of devotees could be seen at the Taoist shrine from as early as 7am on Sunday (Jan 22).

Engineer Michael Yeoh, 39, who was spotted offering his prayers at the temple, said this was the first time he visited the temple after more than two years of muted celebrations to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Devotees praying during the first day of Chinese New Year at The Goddess of Mercy Temple at Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling in George Town, Penang. ( January 22,2022 ). —ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

"This year is special as we can celebrate it without all the restrictions, and I can bring my children and parents to the temple together," he said.

Yeoh said this year, he and his family prayed for a prosperous year ahead not just for their family but for their friends too.

He said he also wished that Malaysia would have a better luck in improving the economy.

Meanwhile, at Tow Boo Keong temple in Jalan Raja Uda in Butterworth, Tan Ai Boey came with her husband and her children to pray on the first day of Chinese New Year.

Devotees praying during the first day of Chinese New Year at The Goddess of Mercy Temple at Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling in George Town, Penang. ( January 22,2022 ). —ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

"It has been a tradition for me and my family to visit our father in Butterworth and celebrate the festival with him," said Tan who lives in Tasek Gelugor.

She said after the prayers, she would visit her relative's houses in Bukit Mertajam and Butterworth.

The 45-year-old property agent said this year the reunion dinner at her father's house was done on a grand scale with more than 20 members of her family coming from as far as Johor and Singapore to celebrate the festival.

Traffic flow at some of the major roads in George Town and Butterworth were smooth on the first day of Chinese New Year.

A check by The Star at Penang Road, Transfer Road, and Esplanade showed the situation was under control with only few vehicles plying the roads.

Observation by The Star at the North-South Expressway near Seberang Jaya and Juru on the Penang mainland found that although many vehicles were on the road heading both ways, there was no congestion as at lunch time.