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EASTERN and Oriental (E&O) Bhd is sponsoring RM200,000 for Penang’s annual Chinese New Year celebration for the 10th time.
E&O hotel George Town penang (image credit)
The company’s group corporate strategy director Lyn Chai said they were honoured to support the yearly festival which would be held tomorrow.
“It’s a long-standing commitment from our side for this highly anticipated Chinese New Year celebration.
“We are honoured to play a role in this celebration which is rich in culture and heritage,” she said after presenting a mock cheque to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in a simple ceremony at E&O Hotel recently.
The celebration will be held at Esplanade and six streets in George Town from 4pm to midnight.
The streets — Armenian Street, Cannon Street, Chulia Street, Penang Street, Bishop Street and King Street — will come alive with myriad activities.
The public will be able to visit the ancestral temples of different clans which are usually closed to the public on other days of the year.
Lim, in his speech, thanked the E&O Group for its initiative.
“We want to make Penang a destination for tourists to visit during the Chinese Year celebrations.
“These events will surely attract both foreign and local tourists,” he added.
“It is a fact that tourism plays an important economic role in the state.
“We need to create good experiences for tourists so that they will return again,” he said.
Lim urged other companies to emulate E&O Group’s example and carry out corporate social activities to boost tourism and help the community in general.
Present to witness the cheque presen-tation were Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik, Penang Chinese Clan Council vice-chairman Ong Teik Kim and E&O group hospitality and lifestyle director Michael Saxon.
Ong said the state event would be able to uplift and preserve the heritage and culture.
He said celebration was initiated by the Penang Chinese Clan Council back in 1999.
“It started off as a street party,” he said.
Ong said support from the state government as well as private sectors was vital in organising and promoting the event every year.
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