JOHOR BARU, Feb 5 — "Take good care of your family and respect your parents.”

That advice was given by the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, when he visited the home of Bukit Batu assemblyman Jimmy Puah in Senibong Cove, in conjunction with the Chinese New Year today.

Puah said that in their conversation, His Royal Highness had said that Chinese New Year was an opportunity to spend time with the family.

Puah, who is the chairman of the State International Trade, Investment and Utilities Committee, shared with reporters pieces of the conversation he and his wife Ophelia Cheng had with Sultan Ibrahim and the Permaisuri of Johor, Raja Zarith Sofiah Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah.

While having brunch, Sultan Ibrahim and Raja Zarith Sofiah and the other guests were entertained to music played on a zither stringed instrument.

About 40 members of Puah’s family, chairman of the State Women Development and Tourism Committee Liow Cai Tung and Johor State Secretary Datuk Azmi Rohani were also present.

Sultan Ibrahim and Raja Zarith Sofiah, in red attire, arrived at Puah’s home at about 9am to a traditional lion dance and drumbeat welcome.

Before the brunch, Their Royal Highnesses joined in tossing the ‘yee sang’ salad symbolising abundance, prosperity and vigour, and posed for photographs with their hosts and their family. — Bernama