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Juwita Suwito, a renowned Gospel singer cum songwriter will be the guest artiste at the Gaya Christmas launch Monday Night.
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12th December, 2011
KOTA KINABALU: Juwita Suwito, a well-known talented singer who has also made a name in Gospel singing, will be the star performer at the launch of the Gaya Christmas celebration at Lintasan Deasoka tonight.
Juwita will sing several trademark Christmas songs after the official launch which is expected to be officiated by the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman.
A songwriter as well, Juwita started in the professional music scene in her late teens as a backing vocalist for prominent Malaysian artistes and events.
She has since released two albums, one EP and two singles. Brand New World (2004), For Real (2006), Take Five with Juwita Suwito at Avanti (live recording, 2008) and Sejak Hadirmu (single, 2009) all of which received AIM (Malaysian Music Industry Awards) nominations.
Brand New World led the pack by clinching the Best Local English Album award in 2005 in addition to three nominations in other categories.
As a vocalist and performer, she has performed in Adelaide, Bandar Sri Begawan, Brisbane, Canberra, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Moscow, Nairobi, Perth, Singapore, Taipei and Zurich, while her music has also been released in Taiwan, Indonesia and Hong Kong.
She is also no stranger to Sabah, having performed at several events and functions, the most recent being a Fund Raising Charity Dinner for the New Fellowship Hall – organized by the SIB Likas group.
A joint choir by the Roman Catholics and Anglicans will be held among other performances while the SIB Church will be performing the Nativity Skit in Bahasa Malaysia.
The highlights of the night will however be the “lighting up” of the life-sized Nativity Hut by the Guest of Honour. Apart from the “concrete” camels, the figurines used this year – the biblical Joseph and Mary as well as baby Jesus and the three wise men, are all life sized.
A spectacular launch to dazzle and brighten up the entire stretch of Jalan Gaya will take place.
After the launch, the Guest of Honour and other VIPs will tour the hawker stalls operated by Christian groups as well as other commercial hawkers. They will be selling all types of food and drink, Christmas cakes and cookies, decorations, gifts, household items and a host of other necessities.
A fireworks display will end the official part of the celebration on the first night, while the stalls will be allowed to operate up until 10.30pm.
“This year’s Gaya Christmas Celebration has been thoughtfully prepared and arranged to give visitors to the four-day event the chance to share in the unity among the various communities, said organizing chairman, Neil Mah of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kota Kinabalu. The Gaya Christmas Celebration started in 2005. This is its seventh year.
The carnival will open at 6.30pm. All are welcome for the Official Opening Ceremony at Lintasan Deasoka commencing at 7.30pm, which will end at about 10.30pm with a fireworks display. Events on the other three nights also begin at 6.30pm.
Meanwhile, members of the Boys Brigade would be going around to solicit for public donations.
Money collected would be distributed to four charitable organizations – Anglican Children’s Welfare Service Kundasang, Sacred Heart Charity, Rumah Agape and the New Hope Hostel, Pitas. The four homes would receive the monies collected on Thursday at the closing ceremony.
Meanwhile, City Hall has reminded revelers and hawkers to be extra civic conscious and not to litter. City Hall’s Deputy Director of Operations, Joannes Solidau said the carnival is a litter-free event and that ample dustbins would be placed for the public to dispose off their rubbish.
Traffic police would be around to guide motorists who park in the area, but all car owners are advised to remove their vehicles from Gaya Street by 6.00pm on the four nights.
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