THE OPENING OF MICCI DEEPAVALI OPEN HOUSE

SPEECH BY CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG

FOR THE OPENING OF MICCI DEEPAVALI OPEN HOUSE

17 NOVEMBER 2018 | 7PM
MARKET STREET, LITTLE INDIA, PENANG

A very good evening and warm welcome to everyone, the locals and visitors from near and far. Happy Deepavali. It is indeed heart-warming to see all of you here tonight to celebrate Deepavali in a multi-cultural way. Eventhough Deepavali has passed on Nov 6, I am sure everyone is still feeling the festive excitement.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Malaysian Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI), Penang for organising this Deepavali Open House, with the support and sponsorship from the Penang State Government again this year. My appreciation to MICCI, traders and traders at Little India for their great support over the years for the success of the function. Most importantly, they have been faithfully making this enclave lively, vibrant and hyped with a splash of colours in their fabrics, fast beat songs and music, fragrant smell of Indian delicacies as well as the religious and cultural events taking place here. This is the uniqueness of Penang, which a blend of multi cultures and faiths.

Ladies and gentleman,

Deepavali is one of the most significant festivals in Indian culture. Deepavali or the Festival of Lights is celebrated across the world every autumn. The Festival of Lights or the Hindu Festival of Deepavali adds yet another spray of colours to the Malaysian Calender of Festivals Celebrated by all Hindus.

This evening’s occasion is indeed a way for all of us to come together as a multi-ethnic community of different faiths to celebrate the Festival of Lights. The whole Malaysia celebrates this Deepavali Festival with friends, relatives and families sharing their joyous atmosphere. By learning about one another, we all Malaysians can accept our different cultures and strengthen our ties. It is very important day for every Hindu to forgive and forget their past grudges. And I believe this festival, like any other major festive celebration, gives us the chance to welcome relatives, friends and colleagues to our open house and savour Indian delicacies.

Deepavali is also a time for us to remember the less fortunate and bring light into their lives. It is priceless to see their happiness on their faces. I hope the kids from the Ramakrishna Ashrama and Spastic Children Home will have fun tonight.

To make this Deepavali Open House celebration a success, the Penang State Government has allocated a sum of RM\40,000.00 this year towards this celebration.

Lastly, thank you once again to MICCI and everyone who is present today.

Happy Deepavali. Deepavali Nalvazhthukkal