PETALING JAYA: Ushering in the Year of the Tiger will not be a “tame affair” this year, with the loud drumbeat of lion dances sounding across the country.
At retail malls, lion dance troupe members greet children who are enthralled by their performances.
The sound of Chinese drums has its pulsating effects on parents and other shoppers too.
At Klang Parade and its sister mall Ipoh Parade, efforts were taken to ensure that patrons kept a safe physical distance away from the performers.
“Chinese New Year is a time for the community to reconnect with all things Chinese, and malls play an important role in helping to preserve these cultural practices,” said Ipoh Parade Advertising and Promotions assistant manager Lim Huey Tyng.
“The lion dance has been sorely missed in the past two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are happy to see parents and their children enjoying the various events staged this year.
“To organise and stage these events in a mall is challenging, but all our efforts to comply with the SOP (standard operating procedure) are worth it just to watch the crowds enjoy themselves,” she said.
ARA Malls marketing head Alan Thoo said he was thankful that shoppers were cooperative when reminded to adhere to the SOP as they stepped into the malls’ atrium.
Thoo said the malls were doing their part to liven up Chinese New Year with a list of activities, adding that retail malls were beginning to turn the tide and attract higher footfall, while tenants were happy with the resurgent economy.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, who is also MCA president, had welcomed the news that family reunion dinners are allowed and that lion and dragon dances can be performed.Meanwhile, Sunway Pyramid is giving shoppers more reason to celebrate Chinese New Year with a special team-up that ties in this year’s Chinese zodiac and Tigger, one of the most well-loved characters from Winnie the Pooh.
Sunway Pyramid said its LG2 Orange Concourse would be transformed into a Disney Tsum Tsum paradise until Feb 20 with plenty of photo opportunities, activities and fun engagements to make the Year of the Tiger one to remember.
“Shoppers can snap as many photos as they want at the Reunion Dinner room, Giant Teapot corner, Dim Sum corner and Valentine’s corner, which have all been decorated with the ever-so adorable Disney Tsum Tsum characters dressed in tiger stripes.
“These characters are also placed in various locations throughout the mall, so shoppers can take their pick or visit each spot to take photos of and with the characters on the ground floor in front of Pandora, as well as LG1 by the Ice Skating Rink and in front of Wah Chan,” it said in a statement.