Hari Raya Light-Up 2003 in Singapore Promises to be a Dazzling Affair

The Geylang Serai district will burst into a hive of activity and radiance of lights, as Singapore ushers in the Hari Raya Aidilfitri with the annual festive light-up.

The Hari Raya light-up will begin at Geylang Serai on 25 October 2003 with an official launch ceremony. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Community Development and Sports, will officiate the ceremony at the Geylang Serai Malay Village. Popular Malaysian artiste and Celebrity Ambassador for Singapore, Ning Baizura will also please the crowd with three of her songs from her latest album during the ceremony.

This year's light-up will see festive lights stretching over a larger area of Geylang Serai. Decorative streetlights will be put up at Changi Road (between Jalan Ubi and Geylang Serai), Geylang Road (between Geylang Serai and Tanjong Katong Road), Sims Avenue East (between Tanjong Katong Road and Jalan Ubi) and Engku Aman Road. Several shopping complexes in Geylang Serai including Joo Chiat Complex, City Plaza and Tanjong Katong Shopping Centre will also add to the festive mood by adorning decorative lights on their building facades to complement the festoons of streetlights.

Apart from the light-up, the streets of Geylang Serai will bustle with activities as bazaars offering a wide variety of Malay delicacies and festive food, traditional clothing, textiles, antiques and decorative items will be set up. The street bazaars will be held from 27 October 2003 until 24 November 2003 from 10.00am to 11.00pm daily.

For the first time, retailers in the area are also offering one-for-one deals and discounts as part of STB's Singapore Roars! Campaign. As part of the campaign, close to 30 outlets and eateries (more than half of which are located in Geylang Serai) will be participating as part of the festive celebrations. Visitors can enjoy these offers for the whole month of October till the end of the year by presenting the Roaring Great Deals card found in the Singapore Roars! brochures available at hotels and various locations around Singapore.

The Hari Raya light-up is organised by Majlis Pusat (Central Council of Malay Cultural Organisations of Singapore) with support from the Singapore Tourism Board. Majlis Pusat has been working with the Singapore Tourism Board on the Hari Raya light-up since 1985 to encourage more active participation by private sector organisations in the annual festive light-up.

Mohd Yahya Zakaria, Majlis Pusat's Deputy President and Chairman of the Hari Raya light-up from 1999-2003 said:

"We are happy to partner STB in our efforts to organise this event. It is indeed very rewarding to see that the project will materialise into a showcase of the rich Malay culture and heritage. We hope to make each year's light-up a bigger and better affair!"

The year's light-up event hopes to draw in crowds from abroad. The Hari Raya light-up will be marketed overseas by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) under the Singapore Roars! campaign. NTUC Resorts and Tristar Inn have provided packages offering accommodation at attractive rates during the light-up period. 

Commenting on the upcoming Hari Raya Lightup, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive of STB, Mr Lim Neo Chian said:

"Singaporeans and visitors alike can expect a spectacular display of lights at Geylang Serai during this Hari Raya light-up period. We are pleased that private sector organisations have been very supportive of this year's festival by proactively putting up their own festive lights and participating in our Roaring Great Deals promotion. We would like to invite all our visitors to partake in our Hari Raya festivities by experiencing the light-up, as well as special packages and offers available to them. We would also like to take this opportunity to wish our Muslim friends and everyone else Selamat Hari Raya in advance."

The Geylang Serai area will be lit up for 44 days, from 25 October to 7 December 2003. The lights will be on nightly from 7.00pm to midnight from Sundays to Thursdays, and between 7.00pm to 2.00am on Fridays and Saturdays. On 24 November, the eve of Hari Raya, the lights will be on from 7.00pm to 6.00am the following day.