Dr Sim: State-level Chinese New Year Open House to be held at BCCK on Feb 10

KUCHING (Jan 24): The Sarawak government will host a state-level Chinese New Year Open House on the first day of Chinese New Year which falls on Feb 10 this year, said Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.

The Deputy Premier said the open house will be held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) from 9am to 3pm.

“Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has asked me to organise the state-level Chinese New Year Open House which marks the first time the Sarawak government will be hosting an open house to celebrate the Lunar New Year with Sarawakians.

“We just had our first organising committee meeting, and I will announce further details regarding the event on Feb 2,” he told reporters when met after an unveiling of couplet ceremony held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relationship at the Malaysia-China Friendship Park here today.

Dr Sim, who is Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president, also said that this year will also be the first time where SUPP will hold its annual Chinese New Year Open House in Sibu.

“We have not decided on the date for the open house yet but Deputy Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Michael Tiang, who is in charge of the event, is currently looking at venues to hold the open house,” he said.

On another issue regarding the candidate to fill the vacant Dewan Negara president post following the resignation of Tan Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Dr Sim said he does not know who will succeed the post.

“I’m no longer in the Senate and my focus is on Sarawak. The best person to answer this is our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” he said.

A Unity Government Leadership Consultative Council meeting was held at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya on Monday (Jan 22) to discuss on candidates to fill the vacant Dewan Negara president’s post.

Dr Sim was among those who attended the meeting which also included Abang Johari, who is Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman, and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is GPS parliamentary chief whip.