Teochew 70th Anniversary Dinner

Attended Sibu Teochew Association 70th anniversary dinner just now through my buddy's invitation. The dinner had been held at Dewan Suarah Sibu.

[The ticket]

There were four pretty girls in Chinese traditional costume standing at the main entrance to welcome the guests. Lions dance also there to accompany VIPs and VVIPs arrival.

[Pretty girls with Chinese traditional costume at the entrance to welcome the guests]

[Lions dance welcoming VIPs and VVIPs]

Before the actual dinner started, there were Chinese orchestra origin from Sibu Teochew Association playing music with Chinese traditional musical instruments such as Er hu, Pi Pa and etc. It was very special indeed as nowadays it's really hard to see such traditional performance. Newer generation now are more to modern musics rather than the oldies.

[Chinese traditional orchestra from Sibu Teochew Association]

There were also snacks, mini mandarin oranges and Teochew clan's traditional kuih available on every table for the guests to taste.

[Snacks and mini Mandarin oranges]

[Teochew clan's traditional kuih]

The event ended at about 10.15pm with lucky draw as the last program. However, I was not that lucky this time. I came back empty-handed!

[VVIPs table look gorgeous]

[The tables]

Oh No! Flood!

Not again!! Is flooded again in Sibu! Last time there was a saying from Sibu people - "There will be a big flood in every 10 years". But recent years, it is not too over if you say "There will be 10 floods in a year"! Can you see the different?

Maybe you and me can see, but some local politicians can't! Experienced Rejang River users telling them that the main cause of frequent flooding in Sibu is the shallowed riverbed resulted from illegal logging upstream thus riverbed needs to be cleared.

Instead of believe these experienced users who had been working on Rejang River for few decades and willing to give free consultancy to the local politicians, the local politicians prefer to spend tax payers' money and hired so called "expert" from China to look into the problem then came out with the solution which couldn't even solve any problem until today!

Today, because of the high tide and Rejang River water overflowed resulted from its shallowed riverbed, a lot of places in Sibu were flooded again! I almost caught in the flood when I was riding my bike passing through Jalan Pedada. Luckily I am quite familiar with that area and with quite lengthy searching and illegal turnings, finally I found my way back to town center.

Xmas Tea Party

Company through its recreational club had organized a Christmas tea party on the afternoon of Christmas eve. The event was held at company's lobby.

The main objective of the event is to provide a platform for company's staffs to meet one another and celebrate the upcoming Christmas celebration. Therefore, not much program had been arranged. Just some refreshment and long service award presentation as well as lucky draws.

For the refreshment, it was a light one with drinks, jellies and pastries. Besides these, the most favorite one was a big grilled turkey which weight around 5kgs. Honestly, this was my first time saw a turkey although I had been seeing it through tv for few times.

[Drinks]

[Delicious egg tarts]

[Pastries and jellies]

[The refreshment]

Remember there was an episode in Mr Bean tv series showing Mr Bean was preparing to cook a turkey but somehow his head stuck in it? Well, if you still have some impression on that turkey, this one is not as big as that. It's certainly not enough for hundred over staffs joining this party. That's why, people including me were "fighting" to get at least a piece of turkey because in normal day, it's harder to have chance tasting this food.

[5kgs grilled turkey]

[People were "fighting" over a turkey]

[Cutting the turkey certainly need some skills]

For long service award presentation, those working for the company for over 10 years and above were given appreciation in the form of recognition certificate for the service. For those working for the company for 10 and 15 years onward, laminated certificate was given. Those serviced for 20 and 25 years onward, a silver-framed cert was issued whereas gold-framed is for those working more than 30 years for the company.

[Long service award certificates]

For lucky draw session, there were more than 20 gifts were given away. Normally I am one of the most unlucky person when come to lucky draw, but this time unbelievably my name was the 2nd being drawn!

[Lucky draw gifts]

Should I consider myself lucky or unlucky? I got the smallest gift out of many big big one! Well, I think I should appreciate with what I got because still a lot of staffs whose name were not being drawn! God! I was so lucky!!

[I won the second prize of lucky draw!]

When I opened the gift to see what is inside, well it was a pair of B.U.M's stocking! Maybe it is just nice for me to hang it on the wall and waiting for Santa to put a xmas gift inside! HAHA! Just kidding. It was a very nice stocking which I think I can wear it during upcoming Chinese New Year!

[My lucky draw gift - a nice BUM stocking]

Merry Christmas 08!

Today is Christmas Day! Wish all the Christians especially those constantly supporting my blog - Merry Christmas! For non-Christian, Happy holiday!

[One of the Christmas decoration in town - Christmas trees with "Happy Christmas" wording!]

Christmas is one of the most important celebration in Sibu as majority of Sibu people are Christians. You can see Christmas decoration are everywhere throughout the town especially in major shopping complexes.

[Xmas Decoration in major shopping centers]

In conjunction with the season greeting, as last year, the local council organized a Christmas trees competition. 13 giant Christmas trees including 12 by participants and one by the local council had been set up near the town square which shows the creativity of the participants in Xmas trees creation and decoration.

[Xmas trees competition at Sibu Town Square]

Till this moment the winner is still unknown. Well, I am doubt actually if it's a competition or just purely for display purpose. Anyway, last year the same event had been held during the Christmas as well and it was a competition where the winner was announced.

Below are day and night shot of each giant Christmas trees where you can find them in town square.

[Teng Hong Aluminium and Glass Sdn Bhd]

[Delta The Market Place]

[Daesim Group]

[Melanau Catholic Welfare Organization]

[Sing Kwong]

[Zoo Bee Garden Bonsai Centre]

[Sibu Municipal Council]

[Farley]

[Sing Ang Tong Methodist Church]

[PPGS - Pejabat Pelajaran Gabungan Sibu]

[Methodist Masland Church]

[E.M. MICRO]

Personally, I like this one the most. I think it's the most creative and special xmas tree among the 12 participants. It was created using hundreds of plastic bottles filled with colored liquid.

[MF]

[The "tree" was created with plastic bottles filled with colored liquid]

[Close look of the plastic bottles]

Xmas Parade 08

Christmas parade is an annual event in Sibu as Christianity is the strongest religion in this place. Usually, the parade will be held on the last weekend before Christmas day.

This year it had been held on 20th December 2008 Saturday, which was just 3 days ago. On the day itself, sky was dark and rain kept pouring heavily especially few hours before the event start.

However, about half an hour before the parade started, the rain became slower and smaller. Even until the last minute before the marching, you could still feel the rain dropped on your face. However, when the event officially started and the first band playing musical instruments being heard from far, the rain totally stopped. Wow! I was thinking... maybe that's what people called "The power of God"??!!

The parade started with VVIPs walking in front. Well, honestly I am not sure the purpose, but seems this phenomena had became a norm in every parade. Maybe it means VVIPs celebrate the event together with people or VVIPs feel it is the good time to show his face hence promote himself? But I prefer if they can visit us at house from time to time to listen and help us solve our problems. You can't help much by showing face!

The VVIPs team was led by Robert Lau, yeah our deputy minister in Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Toilet division I guess ;p). He is a local here.

[Robert Lau was waving to the crowd leading the parade]

I will not elaborate too much on this event as the photos below are self-explanatory. Anyway, as a whole, the parade had nothing much different from the previous years with church marching, bands from schools, Boys Brigade (BB), Girls Brigade (GB) and Scout and some people made up as Santa Claus to give away xmas gifts in the form of sweets which kids love the most. The most exciting part - as always is the decorated vehicles!

Enjoy the photos!

++++++ Church Marching ++++++

[Iban Christians with their pretty yet heavy traditional costume leading their church's march]

[Black or white groups]

[Colorful groups]

++++++ Live Bands ++++++

[Boys Brigade Band]

[Girls Brigade with band]

[Young Girls Brigade playing mouth organ]

[Other bands]

[Combination of BB and GB band with neon light decorating the musical instruments - kind of special]

++++++ Santa Claus ++++++

[Modern Santa using mountain bike?]

[Sweets given which is kids favorite!]

++++++ Decorated Vehicles ++++++

[Sweet and pretty angels on a decorated vehicle]

[Jesus and the manger]