i-City lights up for New Year

An event called “Love Selangor Carnival” (Karnival Sayangi Selangor) will be held in i-City, Shah Alam, from Dec 28 to Dec 31, as a build-up to the new year countdown. The highlight is the countdown night on Dec 31, when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will join the crowd to usher in the new year.

Selangor Umno secretary Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed said the objectives of the event include instilling the 1Malaysia spirit among the public especially those in Selangor, and creating awareness and understanding on the government’s programmes and activities. A 200,000-strong crowd is expected at the four-day carnival that offers a variety of family-based activities, including those for youths and children.

Fun for all: i-City has been designed to be a gathering place for the community, with its LED lightscape and snow attraction being popular tourist attractions.

i-Bhd director Monica Ong said visitors can look forward to multi-cultural performances like silambam demonstration, a lantern-making competition, drum performance and calligraphy competition. There will also be a classic car and bike show, lucky draws, 60s-themed karaoke, Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia mega sale, Agriculture Ministry Fruit Fest, farmers’ market, as well as free community services like hair cuts, manicures and pedicures as well as health checks.

Youths can participate in sports activities like street soccer, basketball and futsal competition, battle of the bands and brass band performance, while families can look out for meet and greet sessions with Spongebob and Patrick of the popular Nickelodeon animation series Spongebob Squarepants and hot air balloon rides.

Government agencies and ministries like Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), Road Transport Department (JPJ), Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and Election Commission (SPR) will be setting up booths offering various services for the public like voter registration and checking of summons.

Each night also features a highlight activity, with a Flying Flamingo LED light movement synchronisation showcase kicking off on Dec 28, followed by a live Forum Perdana by RTM and Al-Hijrah TV on Dec 29, and “One Million Selangor People’s Portraits” using a montage of photos of the people in Selangor to form an image of the Prime Minister on Dec 30.

The public is welcomed to contribute their photos for the montage via walk-in registrations from Dec 28 onwards. The highlight on Dec 31 is a spectacular display of fireworks and pyro fountain set against a backdrop of the giant ferris wheel in i-City, with an LED face clock attached as the countdown timer.

Mohd Zin added that the carnival was an opportunity to gauge the support of the people for Barisan Nasional, and to test the readiness of BN’s election machinery. Ong said i-City has been designed to be a gathering place for the community, with its LED lightscape and snow attraction being popular tourist attractions.

Ride of your life: The pirate ship ride is one of the attractions at i-City.

She added that on Dec 31, the operation hours for i-City’s SnoWalk attraction will be extended to 3am and parking fee will be waived. The carnival organisers will be making arrangements for shuttle services for the event with pick-up points at the Padang Jawa KTM Komuter Station, PKNS Complex and Section 19, Shah Alam. For details, visit www.i-city.my/event.php.

-thestar online.