Association holds concert to commemorate M’sia-China ties

USING traditional Malay, Indian and Chinese drums and other musical instruments to play the Raya Sayang tune, three groups kicked off the Penang Xiamen Friendship Association (Penxia) Citrawarna Night at Dewan Sri Pinang in Penang.

It was a great start to the night, more so with National Day celebrations around the corner.

The three groups that performed together on stage were the Chinese orchestra of SM Chung Ling (Private), the Temple of Fine Arts and Kombo Seberang Prai Municipal Council.

Dances and songs came next with performers young and old decked in colourful outfits.

Xiamen University cultural performers then took to the stage and they managed to break down the cultural barrier with their own brand of dance that appealed to all in the hall.

Organised by the Penxia, the event was aimed at commemorating diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia.

State executive councillor Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan, who represented Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, launched the show.

In his speech, Dr Teng said many bilateral trade missions had been organised in Xiamen and Penang.

He added that the state government ‘owed’ a lot to the Xiamen Municipal Government, especially when the tsunami hit Penang in 2004.

"We are grateful to them. When tsunami hit our shores in 2004, the Xiamen Red Cross Society donated 1mil renminbi (RM450,000) to the state," he said.