THE Kek Lok Si Illumination Photography Contest was launched today as part of the Chinese New Year 2026 festive programmes, offering photographers a platform to unleash their creativity while capturing the iconic temple during the festive season.
Air Itam assemblyman Joseph Ng said this is the first time a photography contest featuring Kek Lok Si Temple as its main subject has been organised, in collaboration with Canon Malaysia.
“It is chosen for its significance as a cultural and tourism landmark in Penang during the festive season.
“Kek Lok Si Temple is a place that visitors will definitely come to during Chinese New Year, and through this contest, we hope to showcase its beauty and atmosphere through photography,” he said at a media conference today.
Ng said the competition will run from Feb 13 to Feb 23, starting from the day the temple’s festive lights are officially switched on, and is open to all Malaysians.
“Anyone can participate, as long as the photo is captured using a camera and clearly shows Kek Lok Si Temple,” he said.
Ng added that participants are allowed to submit one photograph each, with entries to be uploaded via a QR code that provides access to the full terms and conditions.
“This is not just about winning prizes, but about encouraging creativity and giving people an opportunity to take part in meaningful activities while visiting Penang,” he said.
In conjunction with the contest, Canon Malaysia will organise an EOS Photography Outing Session on Feb 13, the day of the temple’s light-up ceremony in the evening.
Ng said the guided photography outing will be led by EOS Master Joe Chia and Promax Digital’s Max Lim, who will share practical techniques such as night photography, composition and lighting.
He added that participants for the session will gather at 5.10pm, with interest for the programme being encouraging so far.
Canon Malaysia is sponsoring the prizes for the competition, which include a Canon PowerShot V10 camera for the first prize, a Canon Selphy CP1500 photo printer for the second prize, and a Canon backpack for the third prize.
Canon Marketing Malaysia (Northern Region) manager Daren Tan said the prizes are fully supported by Canon Malaysia, with winners to be selected based on professional photography standards.
He said the initiative also aims to support local businesses and enhance Penang’s festive tourism offerings.
“We hope this contest will bring more activities to the city and allow people to experience Penang beyond sightseeing, while contributing to the local economy,” he said.
Also present was Penang Global Tourism (PGT) chief executive officer Ooi Chok Yan.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Alissala Thian