Showcase of tradition: Lion dancers doing the traditional magunatip dance.
KOTA KINABALU: A dragon and five lions danced to the beat of drums and cymbals as they entered a Chinese New Year celebration hall, with catchy songs playing in the background.
Hundreds of guests clad in red, gold and other bright coloured modern and traditional Chinese attires clapped their hands to the performance, before turning solemn for an Islamic prayer.
It turns out this Chinese New Year gathering was organised by the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association (MACMA Sabah).
“We are here to celebrate the new year, regardless of our faiths or cultural backgrounds,” said its chairman Ritchie Jay Cheng.
As they welcomed the year of the dragon, it was important to continue fostering peace and harmony within the community, and pray for the health, prosperity and wellbeing of all, he said.
Cheng said as a Chinese Muslim, he felt compelled to preserve cultural festivities while still keeping his faith intact.
“Religion should not stop us from celebrating our cultural festivals. In fact, it should be a unifying agent for all,” he said.
He said cultural preservation should be upheld for generations to come, regardless of religion, modernisation and social developments.
“In Sabah, we are blessed to be able to live harmoniously with people of different faiths, beliefs and cultural backgrounds. We must work hard to keep this spirit alive,” he said.
Cheng said this is what makes Sabah unique and what glues its people together.
