Dog decorations not an issue in Sarawak

PETALING JAYA: While some businesses are playing down the portrayal of dogs in Chinese New Year decorations this year, shops and hotels in Sarawak are showing no hang-up about such decorations to usher in the Year of the Dog.
Sarawakians are also not having qualms about selling t-shirts with all the 12 Chinese zodiac signs including the dog and the pig.
The Meritz Hotel in Miri has decorated its lobby with paper cuttings of dogs and giant gold coins with a cute image of a dog, Sinchew Daily reported on Sunday.
It said the various races in the state in Kuching, Lawas, Limbang and other places of Sarawak have been attending Chinese New Year open houses for years without any reservation.
Open houses there are said to have separated food into halal and non-halal sections for all to enjoy.
Hotels, restaurants and food caterers offering halal food would be busy especially restaurants operated by Malays during Chinese New Year period, it added.
Sales of layer cakes or kuih lapis baked by Malay operators spiked during this period as the cakes are among the favourites served at open houses.