(From left) Wong and Lim handing out free rice dumplings to the public in SS2, Petaling Jaya. — Photos: ONG SOON HIN and GLENN GUAN/The Star
IN CONJUNCTION with the Dragon Boat Festival, a free glutinous rice dumpling giveaway was held in SS2 to foster communal spirit among the Petaling Jaya community.
The local folk lined up for the rice dumplings on the designated day, and all 1,000 units of the delicacy popularly known as chang or zongzi were given away within an hour.
The giveaway was co-organised by the Kampung Tunku incumbent assemblyman Lim Yi Wei’s office, Petaling Jaya City councillor Billy Wong and Petaling Jaya Night Market Hawkers Association (PPPPMPJ).
It was held at Wang Zi Native Products, a stall located within the SS2 commercial area.
The glutinous rice dumplings were prepared by representatives and workers from PPPPMPJ, Wang Zi Native Products and Lim’s staff.
While preparing the rice dumplings, Lim said: “I hope that the public enjoy this event. We will consider continuing next year if it is well received.
Volunteers join workers from the various participating organisations in wrapping and tying rice dumplings before steaming.
“We may consider expanding the next giveaway to include a more diverse group of people to help wrap the rice dumplings, because it is a skill that I think not many of the younger generation know.”
Wong Chee Hoo, a trader at the SS2 night market who came to help with the preparations, expressed his delight in sharing the tradition with the younger people helping out at the event.
“I learnt all this from my mother as a kid, and to share it with everyone here makes me very happy.
“All of them learnt so fast and after a few tries, they all got the hang of wrapping the rice dumplings,” said Wong.
Wang Zi Native Products owner Tommy Lum said the dumplings were prepared and distributed in hopes of encouraging the community during trying times.
“We want to do something to lift people’s spirits and to give people something to look forward to,” he said.
Lum holding some of the rice dumplings ready for free distribution to the public.
Lum said he was touched by the public’s support for the initiative.
“We started preparations three days prior to the giveaway, working for about 12 hours daily.
“It was very fulfilling to see all the rice dumplings snapped up within an hour,” he said.
The Dragon Boat Festival, or Duan Wu Jie, is celebrated to commemorate the poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself about 1,000 years ago to protest corrupt practices in China.
After his death, people started to throw zongzi into the sea to prevent fish from eating his remains.
