[HUIXIAN]

CHINATOWN is painting the town red with Chinese New Year celebrations, spending a record $1.8 million to usher in the Year of the Pig.

For five weeks from Saturday, an expected 1.4 million visitors will be treated to acrobatic displays, lion dances - and pigs which can sing.

The Year of the Pig begins on Feb 18, and the celebrations will stretch until the Lantern Festival on March 4, when 10 Chingay floats will parade along New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street.

Another highlight will be a 12m-high water fountain located next to the People's Park Complex. It will have laser displays at half-hour intervals every night from sunday to Feb 16.

All this will cost the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens Consultative Committee $1.8 million - the largest sum spent so far on Chinese New Year celebrations. Last year, a total of $1.5 million was spent.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be the guest of honour at the opening ceremony on Saturday, which will see firecrackers, a sneak preview of one Chingay float as well as an appearance by Porky Pig of Warner Brothers fame.

In keeping with the porcine theme, a family of four robot pigs built by Singapore Polytechnic will be displayed at the opening ceremony.

The 1m-tall machines will greet passers-by and sing songs to entertain them.

Those who need an energy boost can pig out at the 550 street stalls.

And as both the Chinese Lovers' Festival and Valentine's Day fall within this period, Chinatown's Garden Bridge will be transformed into a romantic rendezvous with cherry blossoms and bamboo decorations.

New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street in Chinatown will be closed during the opening ceremony, for the countdown on Feb 17 and on March 4.

Pagoda Street, Temple Street, Trengganu Street, Sago Street and Smith Street will also be closed from Saturday to Feb 17. Signs will be put up on major expressways like the CTE to notify people about road closures.