MELAKA: A century-old Taoist temple in Kandang invites all races to witness its five-day celebration in conjunction with the Lunar New Year.
Cheng Wah Keong Temple chairman Hau Han Lee said the celebration was being promoted as a tourism product.
"We have invited food truck operators to ensure halal foods are served to visitors during the celebration from Feb 19 to Feb 23.
"Our temple wants to invite friends from various ethnicities to witness the colourful celebration as well as a mega procession on Feb 22," he said in an interview on Saturday (Feb 17).
Hau said it is traditional for the temple to invite friends regardless of religion or ethnicity.
He said there would be a grand fireworks display on Feb 22, and the temple committee expects thousands of people would come to see it.
Hau said the temple's premise is decorated with 1,000 bright red lanterns and three dragon replicas to enhance the festive mood.
He said one of the dragon replicas is mechanical and can move its head and spray water.
"We spent a fortune for the mechanical dragon, but we are contended as the replica has been a crowd puller," he said, adding that one of the replicas is 112m long.
"We collected funds from our devotees to decorate the temple.
"The Year of Dragon symbolises strength, success and good fortune," he said.
Hau said his committee decided on a grand celebration this year in line with the ongoing Visit Melaka Year 2024.
