Spectacular 1k drone showcase at KLCC Twin Towers marred by lion’s eye-dotting ceremony by PMX
THE organiser of the joint Malaysia-China Chinese New Year (CNY) celebration at the KLCC Twin Towers which featured a stunning display of over 1,000 drones on the CNY eve has come under fire for failure to inform its guest-of-honour on the purpose of the eye-dotting ceremony for ‘one of its lions’.
‘Just like we need to find out the reason for the lion dance, tossing the yee sang (literally “raw fish salad”), burning firecrackers, wearing red attire during Lunar New Year, etc,” remarked social media influencer Rafizah Cian Lin on her Facebook post.
Penganjur sepatutnya memaklumkan tetamu kehormat tentang tujuan upacara Titik Mata. Sama seperti kita perlu mencari sebab tujuan Tarian Singa, Gaul dan Lambung YeeSang, Bakar Mercun, Memakai Serba Merah dan lain². In shaa Allah setelah mengetahui tujuannya kita tahu apa nak buat.
Telegram t.me/RafizahCianLinMandarin
“God willing, we shall know what to do after knowing the purpose.”
The Facebooker was in fact parroting the reaction from controversial Muslim convert preacher Firdaus Wong Wai Hung who described the said ritual “of injecting the soul into the lion’s costume before it performs” as shirk.
Citing the National Culture and Arts Department (JKKN), the president of NGO Multiracial Reverted Muslims (MRM) claimed that the ritual which is also known as 点睛 (diǎn jīng/eye-dotting) or 开光 (kāi guāng/open the light) in Mandarin is intended to bring good luck and prevent misfortune from befalling lion dance performances.
He further quoted Sarawak Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin who described the lion’s eye-opening ceremony as an important ritual “to awaken a new lion for safe performance”.
“In the lion dance culture, a new lion is required to undergo the eye-opening ceremony. The lion which is said to be ‘asleep’ needs to be ‘woken up’ by opening its eyes. Only after such ritual, can the lion perform,” Lee had told TV Sarawak on Jan 19.
This is when Firdaus who has large fanbase among Malay Muslims contended that while lion dance may be seen as a traditional dance of the Chinese community, its origin is still mired “in superstitious elements that are practiced till this day”.
“I believe that it is impossible for PMX as a Muslim to be pleased and be willing to perform such a ceremony that clearly boasts elements of khurafat (superstition) as highlighted by JKKN,” he justified.
“Perhaps he wasn’t given the correct information about the ‘eye-dotting’ ceremony (by the organiser).”
But Firdaus’ claim that the lion dance and yee sang tossing bear elements of superstitious beliefs was rebutted by staunch Madani government backer CIKY Nie (@lady_bugg11) who recalled no issue was raised when both PAS president Tan Sri Hadi Awang and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin “joined in” previously.
Firdaus Wong kata, “Tarian Singa & Yee Sang mempunyai unsur-unsur kepercayaan khurafat.” Tapi bila TGHH dan TSMY join, terus senyap. Takkan pemimpin PAS redha dengan benda yang “jelas mempunyai unsur khurafat dalam Islam”?
Atau mungkin kali ni Gerakan yang ajar mereka versi Yee… Show more
“Wouldn’t PAS leaders be willing to accept something that clearly bears elements of superstition in Islam?” she teased on her X post.
“Or maybe it was Gerakan who taught them the halal version of yee sang this time around? – Jan 30, 2025
It's a cultural event, no religious prayers involved, so why is PUS jumping up and down like a monkey ?
ReplyDeleteInferiority complex displayed through the nth!
ReplyDeleteEnough said.