“PENANG BRINGS THE WORLD TO YOUR DOORSTEP” LIGHTING CEREMONY
SPEECH BY YAB CHOW KON YEOW
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG
“PENANG BRINGS THE WORLD TO YOUR DOORSTEP” LIGHTING CEREMONY
27 April 2021, PENANG ESPLANADE
YB Yeoh Soon Hin
Penang State EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy
YB Ong Ah Teong
State Assemblyman for Batu Lanchang
YB Daniel Gooi Zi Sen
State Assemblyman for Pengkalan Kota
Board Members of Penang Global Tourism:
- Dato’ Danny Goon Siew Cheang
- Encik Khoo Boo Lim
- Encik Kenneth Tan Teong Keen
- Puan Bharathi A/P Suppiah
Mr Ooi Chok Yan
CEO of Penang Global Tourism
Mr Gary Ang Bak Khoon
Director of Love Lane Trading Sdn Bhd
Members of the media
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Good evening and a warm welcome to everyone.
It gives me great pleasure to be here at the "Penang Brings the World to your Doorstep" lighting ceremony, aimed at spreading festive cheer all around during this fasting month and upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Recognizing that travel is limited due to interstate border closures, the Penang State Government is keen to enliven the atmosphere by bringing the world to its people through these beautiful sculptures. The vast open space of the Esplanade allows us to practice physical distancing while lightening up the mood for the locals and, at the same time, strengthen Penang's domestic appeal.
As we continue to spur the tourism economy in the new normal, we need to stimulate domestic tourism and sustain our local businesses through various creative ventures. Penang’s commendable tourism performance over the years, as well as its rich endowments in the creative industries can yield a positive economic effect for both, the tourism and creative sectors, allowing them to work in tandem and gain mutual benefits in the long run.
Furthermore, UNESCO has also declared year 2021 as the “International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development”, in which we hope to promote easy access to the creative industries under this theme, including arts and culture. This has led towards the idea of "Penang Brings the World to your Doorstep" which features the display of creative sculptures.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Due to the closure of borders, this is the best time for all Penangites to enjoy the various attractions and eateries in and around the UNESCO World Heritage Site of George Town, as well as elsewhere in the state.
Hence, I urge you all to take advantage of this "quiet" time with your family and friends to truly experience Penang and support our local businesses.
In line with Penang2030 vision of building 'A Family-focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation’, these sculptures also serve as a shared space for families to spend quality time together. So, whatever you do, make sure to “travel around the world” during this period and take in the sights of iconic landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, London Bridge and Eiffel Tower without even having to leave Penang.
It is my sincere hope that these displays will bring families together, boost the growth of our state's tourism economy, and lift the spirits of the people of Penang. Keeping in mind, of course, that the fight against Covid-19 is still not over, I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to continue practicing the 4Ps, so we can all continue to have good times while keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe.
Last but not least, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate YB Yeoh Soon Hin for coming up with this creative idea of ‘bringing’ people around the world despite the current travel restriction imposed. We look forward to welcoming everyone!
Thank you.