JENJAROM: A total of 500 pupils and teachers from a Chinese primary school, a national primary school, a Tamil primary school and Orang Asli visited Dong Zen Temple in conjunction with Chinese New Year.

Officers from the National Unity Ministry as well as Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) also turned up on the eighth day of Chinese New Year for the festive celebration at Dong Zen Temple jointly organized by the temple and the Happy Village Cultural Museum.

The pupils performed Chinese music, Indian dance, Ibok dance and creative folk dance for visitors of the temple.

Ven. Jue Cheng, the chief abbess at Dong Zen Temple, said, “This is true Malaysia without one thinking whether he is a Chinese, Malay or an Indian.

“We plant the seed of harmony here for the younger generation to live in peace and harmony in Malaysia,” she said.

Dong Zen Temple will be organizing similar events every year and will also attend the festive celebrations of other ethnic groups, she said.

“We will attend the Raya open house of the Malays and visit the Indians during Deepavali,” she added.

Ahmad Fahmi Mohd Samsudin, president of Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM), said such activity should be widely promoted to attract Malaysians of all ethnic groups to share the festive joy.

“This is the place for Malaysians of different ethnic groups to know one another,” he said, adding that the Happy Village located outside the temple brings happiness to those who are present.

Rina Harun, principal assistant secretary from the Ministry of National Unity, said the ministry would be organizing more of such events in future.

“This event does not only reflect unity but also the cultural heritage of Malaysian societies,” she said.