Siniawan lights up for Chinese New Year with RM100,000 festive decorations

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By Shikin Louis

BAU, Jan 31: Siniawan Heritage Town came alive tonight as colourful festive lights were officially switched on to usher in the Chinese New Year 2026 celebrations, drawing crowds beyond expectations and transforming the century-old town into a vibrant cultural hub.

Serembu assemblyman Dato Miro Simuh said he was pleasantly surprised by the turnout, noting that the strong crowd turnout came despite minimal promotion for the lighting-up ceremony.

“It is beyond our expectations because we didn’t think it was such a big occasion. Without any promotion, you can see the number of people who walked into this little town of Siniawan.

“This shows the strong support from the community,” he said, commending Siniawan Kapitan Bong Boon Kah and the local organising team for their dedication.

Miro revealed that approximately RM100,000 was spent on this year’s festive decorations, including installation costs, making it the biggest investment in decorations so far for the town.

He added that Siniawan, which is more than 100 years old, continues to undergo development and beautification, with millions of ringgit invested to enhance its attractiveness and vibrancy.

“We have completed the waterfront at the back, and there are more projects planned for Siniawan.

“This is the only town that is more than 100 years old that is still surviving in Sarawak, and we will continue to make sure it is well maintained,” he said.

Miro also highlighted that Siniawan will continue to host major events throughout the year, including the Siniawan Country Music Festival in September, which he described as the biggest of its kind in Asia and already listed in the Sarawak and Tourism Malaysia events calendars.

Meanwhile, Siniawan Kapitan Bong Boon Kah said the festive preparations had been planned weeks in advance by the JKKK Pekan Siniawan, involving the installation of decorative lights, lanterns and floral displays, as well as cleaning and beautification works to create a festive and culturally rich atmosphere.

He expressed appreciation to the Bau District Council and Bau District Office for their continuous support and close cooperation in ensuring the smooth implementation of the festive preparations.

Kapitan Bong also thanked sponsors and contributors whose support made the elaborate decorations possible, including Lai Shey Ngian, JJH Concrete Sdn Bhd, Ikutmas (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, D&C Car Accessories & Service, Penghulu Lai Shey Hiong, Penghulu Liew Chiew Hian and Penghulu Adam Voon Boo Shin.

In addition, he acknowledged the financial support from Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin and Serembu assemblyman Dato Miro Simuh, who allocated RM20,000 and RM30,000 respectively for the festive project.

Among the key sponsored attractions this year are the ‘Flying Dragon’ display along the main street by D&C Car Accessories & Service, a Horse Statue photo spot contributed by Penghulu Adam Voon Boo Shin, a God of Fortune station and large lantern installations sponsored by Penghulu Liew Chiew Hian, and an alleyway photo station by Penghulu Lai Shey Hiong. Logistics, shipping and transportation support were sponsored by Ikutmas (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd.

Earlier, Miro also performed the eye-dotting ceremony for the new lion dance troupe at the Swee Guk Kung Temple, before the delegation proceeded to Siniawan Heritage Town for the lighting-up ceremony.