By: Fong Yee Hui
SERDANG, 23 Feb – The Zhong Hua Cultural Arts Association of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) organised the UPM 14th Ang Pau Festival in an effort to introduce the uniqueness of Zhong Hua culture to the society and to foster the interaction of students from various ethnicities.
Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Lee Boon Chye expressed hope that Chinese culture and the uniqueness of Zhong Hua will continuously be introduced to the next generation to ensure that society has the opportunity to understand the culture of the Chinese society in Malaysia.
"We should be proud of our own culture and value it always. I hope that the Chinese culture could be inherited to the next generation to ensure national unity,” he said.
UPM Deputy Vice Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni), Prof. Dr. Mohd Roslan Sulaiman said, this programme is a good platform to increase and widen students’ knowledge about the Chinese culture and enable them to develop soft skills to become graduates with excellent personal qualities.
“It is hoped that this programme will help to introduce the uniqueness of Zhong Hua arts and culture to the students to ensure a better understanding, tolerance and mutual respect among the committee members and UPM students,” he said.
According to the programme director, Lim Jia Hao, this programme has fostered interaction and provided exposure to Chinese New Year celebration to UPM students.
“The mission of UPM Ang Pau Festival Programme is to ensure the continuity of the Chinese culture and to create a lively spirit in celebrating Chinese New Year on campus among UPM students,” he said.
During the event, a ‘Wushu’ demonstration was performed by Wushu Class from UPM Zhong Hua Cultural Arts Association, while the Publicity Unit of UPM 14th Ang Pau Festival Programme performed a song entitled ‘Xin Chun’ which was the theme song for the programme.
The UPM Ang Pau Festival is an annual programme organised by UPM Zhong Hua Cultural Arts Association which started in 2006 to promote harmony, belief, language, culture and traditional practice of Chinese community in Malaysia. – UPM
