SINGAPORE - It was not just Singaporeans who joined in the Chinese New Year celebrations at the Huang Clan Association in Geylang.

For the first time, over 150 migrant workers were invited to join 50 volunteers from the association for lo hei, a steamboat dinner and karaoke session on Saturday (Feb 4). This included workers from China and other countries, including Myanmar, the Philippines and India.

Nee Soon GRC MP Louis Ng, who was guest-of-honour at the event, paid tribute to the workers at the dinner.

"Foreign workers in Singapore have left their families behind to work. That sense of longing that they have for their homes and families is something that we may find hard to understand," said Mr Ng in Mandarin.

"Thank you for your help and the sacrifices that you have made to shape Singapore into a beautiful home for us."

In addition to mandarin oranges and hongbao, the workers also each received a $2 calling card containing about 180 minutes of talk time to call and send greetings to families and friends back home.

Mr Stanley Ng, secretary general of the Huang Clan Association's youth committee, said that the celebrations were extended to migrant workers this year as "they are the unsung heroes of Singapore".

"We want to help them bond better within the community through the better understanding of local cultures and vice versa,"he said.