MUAR, Jan 29 (Sin Chew Daily) — An unexpected meeting with the God and Goddess of Prosperity on the fourth day of Chinese New Year was a pleasant surprise for lucky hikers at Bukit Mor near here.

Like in last year, Bukit Mor Happy Hikers Club captain Chua Kim Hwa dressed up as the God of Prosperity early Tuesday morning to extend festive wishes to hikers, along with a Goddess of Prosperity impersonated by another club member and a lion's dance troupe.

Chua told Sin Chew Daily the purpose of this event was to provide a unique opportunity for hiking enthusiasts irrespective of race to come together to celebrate in a bid to promote greater social harmony during the festive season.

He said a total of 35 members from the club joined the hiking event on Tuesday morning, including Malay members and hiking enthusiasts from Batu Pahat and Taiwan.

"This is the third year we have a CNY hiking event. To enhance the festive mood, I dressed up as the God of Prosperity last year and the move proved to be big hit with club members as well as hikers. This year, we decide to take the atmosphere to a new level by including also a Goddess of Prosperity and lion dance performance.

"We have also prepared ang paos, mandarin oranges and snacks for hikers, sponsored by our club members with the hope of promoting the traditional Chinese culture and Bukit Mor as a hiking destination."

Chua said Bukit Mor is well known for its breathtaking scenery, including a hundred-year-old tree, a scenic lake, the General's Rock and a wealth of flora and fauna.

He hoped the event would bring more hikers to Bukit Mor to explore its beauty.