Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) Puan Maharani urged the public to make the celebration of the Chinese New Year (CNY) a momentum to stay optimistic to rise from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“To all those of the Chinese descent in the country, happy Chinese New Year 2537,” Maharani noted in a written statement on Tuesday.

The speaker expressed optimism that the Chinese community in Indonesia would continue to celebrate the Chinese New Year with complete happiness despite the CNY having been celebrated twice amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maharani also wished for health and prosperity for all Indonesian people.

“I am sure that today’s Lunar New Year celebration will still be filled with gratitude for what we have received. In this year of the Air Tiger, let us bring Indonesia to rise from the pandemic,” she remarked.

She later noted that the Chinese New Year, as a tradition of the Chinese community, must continue to be celebrated to manifest gratitude and hope for all goodness in the previous and future years.

Maharani is optimistic that the Chinese New Year would bring good luck to the entire community while urging the residents to not be tired and stay vigilant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The former coordinating minister for human development and culture (Menko PMK) urged the public to always care for their health, especially since Indonesia was facing a new variant of COVID-19, Omicron, whose number of cases had kept rising with each passing day.

“Please take care of yourself. Do not forget to wear a mask, maintain your distance, and wash your hands. Remember to always welcome a new morning with a smile on your face, a new soul, love in your heart, and good thoughts in mind,” she affirmed.

Source: Antara News