Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor attended the Chinese New Year Open House organised by the MCA in Kuala Lumpur today.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also attended the event held at the Wisma MCA on Jalan Ampang.

Najib, Rosmah and Zahid, who were attired in red, were greeted on arrival at the Wisma MCA grounds by the MCA top leadership line-up, headed by its president Liow Tiong Lai, and were entertained by a lion dance performance.

Najib, Rosmah and Zahid, who spent more than half-an-hour at the event, joined the other top leaders of the BN, including Liow, Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong and MIC president Dr S Subramaniam in mixing the 'yee sang,' the main dish during the festival, which the Chinese community considers brings luck.

Also present were MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong, Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed, Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi and Deputy Finance Minister Chua Tee Yong.

Foreign tourists also join in

Guests from the various races and foreign tourists also joined in the merriment while witnessing the cultural performances, songs and martial arts demonstrations.

Najib in his short speech wished a Happy Chinese New Year to all Malaysians especially from the Chinese community.

The Chinese New Year this year (2016) is the Year of the Fire Monkey, which is the most important festival for the Chinese community in welcoming the new year in the Lunar calendar.

Liow, meanwhile, said the Chinese community need not worry about whatever problems within the party because these matters could be resolved internally.

"There should not be any move to further split the party, the party is united, I am sure the delegates want the party to be united," he said.

The transport minister said as MCA president, he would continue to do his best to unite the party.

"We are focusing on strengthening the party campaign and it involved all the Chinese community throughout the nation," said Liow who was born in the Year of the Ox in the Chinese lunar calendar.

Subramaniam meanwhile said in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebrations, solidarity among the people throughout the country must be strengthened to push the country to a higher level.

- Bernama