Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun speech for

Blossom International Show launch

Date:24 July 2017

 

(Salutations)

Good morning, Honourable Excellencies, Cultural and Art leaders, members of the media, welcome to Our “Theatre of Culture & Art” now taking shape at Wisma MCA.

The Honourable, Mr Mark Neo, Deputy High Commissioner of the High Commission of Singapore;

The Honourable, Mr Hiroyuki Orikasa, Counsellor of the Embassy of Japan;

The Honourable, Ms Cheryl Mah, Conductor of the KLPAC Symphonic Band

The Honourable, Mr K. Ayyanar, Director of the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre, India;

Tan Sri/Datuk Seri/Datuk 

Our Media Friends,

Friends & Supporters

We are very honoured to be in highly esteemed company of official representatives of China, Japan, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, as well as the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Malaysia. As chairman of the Malaysian Chinese Cultural & Arts Consultative Committee (MCCACC) and MCA Vice-President, we are most grateful for your attendance which indicates the importance accorded by your countries to promoting cultural exchange as well as recognition for the Blossom Arts Festival Malaysia (BAFM) 2017. Notably, we warmly welcome Thailand and Indonesia which are participating for the first time in BAFM, and we are deeply humbled by the return of China, Japan, India and Singapore for the second year which indicates your strong support of BAFM. Let’s give Their Excellencies a big warm applause, ladies and gentlemen.

The support your countries have given to BAFM is highly valued. Besides promoting cultural exchange, showcasing your culture in Malaysia enables our people to learn more about your societies, its music, drama, culture, art and history. More importantly, your participation will show Malaysians the societal values and traditions to enable us to develop deeper understanding and appreciation for one another, thereby promoting global peace. We hope that your cultural groups will also learn about Malaysian society through BAFM, and that our engagement will help to promote stronger people-to-people relationships, besides facilitating innovation in cultural and arts performances that will raise our mutual performance standards.

Your Excellencies and Honourable Guests, we are excited this morning because it is now time to launch our “Brilliance of Blossom” International Showcases today, as we countdown to the start of the Blossom Arts Festival Malaysia (BAFM) 2017 here at Wisma MCA, Kuala Lumpur. We are at “T minus 7” to use the NASA (US National Aeronautics and Space Administration) terminology for launching rockets. In exactly seven days on 1st of August, all Malaysians, residents and visitors are invited to bring their family and friends to join us for the start[JY1]  of a World Class cultural and art extravaganza here.

This event, our BAFM 2017, is a significant effort by the Malaysian Chinese Cultural & Arts Consultative Committee (MCCACC) to help all citizens, residents and visitors, experience the joy of celebrating National Day with this year’s official theme of “Negaraku”. This is why BAFM 2017 has returned with a full month of activities that showcases our rich Malaysian cultural and art heritage with the objective to bringing the joy of National Day into the hearts of our citizens, young and old, in every part of Malaysia. Therefore, people wherever you are, make a date with us!

We must emphasise that this is an event not to be missed. This is because the performing groups and artistes invited are renowned performers in their own countries and many are international award winners which makes them World Class. Additionally, this festival is unique – our BAFM blends music and dance with opera, choral, drama, drumming competition in addition to static art and craft. There is not another festival like BAFM in the World! So we want Malaysians as well as foreigners to own this festival. Show your support to tell the world that this festival is representative of Malaysia, a land of multiethnic people living harmoniously. We Malaysians must show the World that we love “Negaraku”. Malaysia is our country. This is our homeland!

Those of you who are here now will note that Wisma MCA has been transformed. We have created a “Theatre of Culture & Art” look for our building which happens only because of BAFM. This is proof of the MCCACC’s dedication to create a fun yet conducive and inspiring environment for our festival with full support of the Malaysian Chinese Association, especially its president, Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai, our Honourable Minister of Transport.

Today, we specially draw your attention to 5 key performances among a host of other wonderful shows lined-up for BAFM 2017. They are:

  • Aug 1: Gala Opening Night.
  • Aug 4: Malaysia-Taiwan Dance Spectacular
  • Aug 12: Brilliance of Blossom International Showcase1
  • Aug 20: Brilliance of Blossom International Showcase 2
  • Aug 31: Closing Gala Performance

The reason we are highlighting these 5 special performances is because all five are produced by the BAFM organising committee. Unlike other equally spectacular and brilliant performances that are individually or privately produced, these five shows were specially put together by the BAFM organising committee after special invitations sent to the performing groups. On:

1st August (Tuesday)

For the Gala Opening Night, we have the:

  • SAB A Capella band from Kuala Lumpur;
  • Soul Impact
  • Datuk Ramli Ibrahim (Sutra Foundation)
  • SK Dance Company
  • Han Fong Dance Theatre, and,
  • The Enigmatic Chong Ah Kow.

4th August (Friday)

We invite you to an energetic and explosive showcase of the Malaysia-Taiwan Dance Spectacular which features Malaysia’s famous youth group, Selangor-Kuala Lumpur Shing An Association Youth  and Da Guan Dance Theatre of Taiwan’s National University of Arts’ Department of Dance.

13th August (Sunday)

This is the first of two “Brilliance of Blossom International” showcases. Otherwise known as Brilliance of Blossom 1, the performing groups are from Malaysia, China and India, specifically Malaysia’s very own Hornland Dance Theatre, China’s Longzhou Children’s Peking Opera and India’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre.

20th  August (Sunday)

This is the second “Brilliance of Blossom International” showcase which is a mega show of performing groups from Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Thailand and Indonesi[JY2] a. The performers are:

  • Huo Yuan Jia Wushu Academy, Malaysia;
  • Sigma Contemporary Dance, Singapore;
  • The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre Symphonic Band of Japan;
  • Inti Sumatera of Indonesia, and,
  • Be Green Group of Thailand.

31st August (Thursday)

This is our closing performance as well as 2017 Blossom Awards night. The BAFM will warp with shows from:

  • DPAC group of Malaysia;
  • Singer Evelyn Toh;
  • Datuk Ramli Ibrahim acclaimed Odissi dance; and,
  • Soul Impact, among others.

Tickets for each of the five shows are priced at RM50 each. Senior citizens, students and persons with disabilities (OKU) are entitled to 50% discount on tickets. We also offer season tickets priced at RM80 for any three of the five shows, and RM120 for ALL five shows. To purchase tickets, please visit our website: http://www.blossomartsfestival.my/ or call our BAFM secretariat, 03-2203 3979. Proceeds of ticket sales are donated to cultural groups to promote their art.

BAFM 2017 is an amazing, spectacular and unique showcase. Do not miss it because its happening right here in Kuala Lumpur. Everyone is invited, including Your Excellencies.

Thank you.

Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun
Malaysian Chinese Culture & Arts Consultative Committee Chairman
MCA Vice President 

-MCA online-