GEORGE TOWN, Feb 23 — This Chinese New Year, the traditional lion dance performance which usually symbolises good luck and prosperity is also being used to “scare away bad luck.”
Lion dance troupes in the state are working overtime because of a sharp increase in bookings from local traders, shops and private homes.
According to the Hock Teik Soo Lion Dance Troupe Tanjung Bungah, they are fully booked until the sixth day (February 26) of Chinese New Year this time round.
“Last year, we were only booked for the first three days of Chinese New Year but this year, we have a sudden increase in bookings until we barely have time to breathe,” one of the troupe leaders, known as Tan, said before rushing off to another performance.
This year, the troupe is performing at between 20 to 30 places each day, where each performance lasts an average of 15 minutes, at various locations all over the state.
Another lion dance troupe, Seven Star Pang Lang Lion Dance Troupe, also saw a lot of bookings this year.
“We received about 80 bookings for these first two days so I’d say our number of bookings has definitely increased,” troupe member Aun said.
The increase in bookings is a surprise for the troupes but they believe it could be a sign of business-owners wanting to ward off bad luck and to fight off a gloomy economic outlook.
“We may get more bookings but this doesn’t mean the shop owners are spending more because the ang pows they are giving us are smaller than previously,” Aun said.
While the 6 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) looms on April 1, Penangites are already tightening their belts.
Even for a Penangite working overseas like Colin Chew, 25; he has been extremely careful on every sen he spent when back in his hometown.
“I bought my Chinese New Year clothes last year so that I don’t buy during the festive period which might be more expensive and when I eat out, I have to be on a tight budget and not over spend,” he said.
The system support executive may earn in Singapore dollars but despite the exchange rate and weakening ringgit, still feels the pinch of higher costs here.
“Although the exchange rate is RM2.60 to SG$1, I still think it makes no difference when spending in Penang as things are almost the same price,” he said.
Another Penangite, Cheah Boon Chong, 31, is trying to spend less this year but finds it hard to do so.
“Everything is so expensive now so I may be buying less things and trying to spend less but in the end, I am spending more than last year because our spending power is less now,” he said.
Restaurants and cafés in George Town area are also bracing for a slowdown especially after the festive period.
Over at popular café and restaurant China House, things have been slow last week prior to the holidays.
Business has picked up in the last three days but most of its patrons are tourists, not locals.
However, the food and beverage outlet is also worried and bracing for a slowdown by March and April.
Another popular café, Mugshot Café, remained open throughout the Chinese New Year holidays but already felt a slight drop in business.
“Our business dropped despite being one of the few cafés that remained open during this period,” its co-owner Jesse Tan said, pointing out that in the George Town inner city, almost 90 per cent of the cafés are closed for Chinese New Year.
They too are expecting slower times by March and April due to uncertainty over the implementation of GST.
