The Embassy of Vietnam and a number of Vietnamese representative agencies and expats in Malaysia on February 12 offered incense to late President Ho Chi Minh as a gesture to pay tribute to their root on the occasion of Tet (Lunar New Year).

Vietnamese expats offers incense to late President Ho Chi Minh on the occasion of Tet
(Lunar New Year). (Photo: VNA)

As Malaysia re-introduced the movement control order (MCO) from January 13 – February 18 to stem the third wave of COVID-19, the Embassy of Vietnam did not celebrate this year’s festival with get-togethers of Vietnamese expats as usual. Instead, it has been keeping its door open to its staff and Vietnamese people living in Malaysia to offer incense and flowers to the late President at his worship altar.

Visitors are required to adhere to local preventive rules against the COVID-19, including wearing masks, avoiding gatherings of more than five people and no more two people per vehicle.

In his Lunar New Year address, Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Viet Thai wished all Vietnamese people living in Malaysia good health, happiness and success. He hoped that the Vietnamese community will continue caring for and supporting each other, strictly complying with local rules against the novel coronavirus, better integrating into the host country and closely cooperating with the embassy.

The embassy has also been maintaining close contact with Vietnamese citizens stranded in Malaysia due to COVID-19 to learn about their wishes, said Vu Minh Duc, Second Secretary of the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia. 

In the Malaysian state of Jahor where a large number of Vietnamese people live, the embassy has coordinated with local organisations and associations to make “banh chung,” Vietnam’s traditional staple during Tet holiday, and present gifts to workers, he added.

In Japan, the Embassy of Vietnam on February 11 hosted a gathering to welcome the Year of Buffalo with many Vietnamese representative agencies in the host country in attendance.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam recalled several landmark milestones in the bilateral relations last year, particularly highlighting that Vietnam was selected as one of the two destinations new Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide had visited on his first official trip overseas.

The two countries’ relations have been growing strong despite the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

He also urged the embassy’s staff and Vietnamese representative agencies in Japan to continue overcoming hardships to fulfil their tasks and missions, contributing to accelerating the strategic partnership between the two nations.