CHINESE NEW YEAR EVE AND THEIR INFORMAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.

The chinese all over the world would try their best to go back to their hometowns or places of birth. Most of them would meet their family elders, siblings, close and distant relatives, to have a reunion dinner together, to catch up with the latest news and gossips that concerned them.
In Malaysia, most of them would normally travel back to their elders homes one or two days before Chinese New Year.

Most of the chinese are involve in small and medium sized trading and light industries with a sprinkling of big conglomerates in their midst. There are the 'third force' of the economic system and a potent force to drive the free enterprise system in their country of adoption. Most of them are without government largesses and operated with only a shoe-string budgets without any formal or written business missions and plans. The weak informal business management system can become opportunities in disguise for the ultra fast delivery of goods and services with long working hours for 6 working days a week. They thrive in the cut throat business competitions amongst themselves with very small profit margins by having volume sales of goods and services.

In the nutshell, because of the forced circumstances, they would take the journey home, one or two days before the lunar Chinese New Year because of the opportunities of brisk business during this festive year-end session or cheap sales.

The Chinese New Year family dinner usually commenced in the early evenings at their elders' homes or at numerous chinese restaurants. The family reunion dinner are usually boisterous and happy affairs with the chinese greetings of Gong Xi Fa Cai ( Kong Hei Fatt Choy in cantonese ) and the different varieties of traditional chinese menus of meat consisting of chicken, fishes and pork, and the many types of vegetables, chinese tea and alcoholic drinks. They usually started off with the tossing of 'Yu Sheng' ( 'Yu Sang' in cantonese ), to signifies prosperity and wealth for the coming new year. They would usually discuss about the welfare of the family members, the birth and death of family members, the business successes and failures of their family members and close relatives, their current and future business ventures and so on. In one way or the other, the Chinese New Year reunion dinner is something like the 'Annual General Meeting' in the westernised modern organization or corporation. There were a free flow of brain storming of ideas, questions and answers and everyone presence will have a say in everything under the sun with laughter and battering amongst themselves with occasional toasting of "Yam Seng" in between the dinner course. Normally, the elders of the family would keep a discreet silence and dignified presense amongst the family members and to keep the peace if necessary. He is accorded the respect for his position as the head of the family. The head of the family will normally settled the bill after the dinner and usually headed for the elder's home.

The family members would settled down and chit chat or played mahjong at their elders's home until the wee morning.

The elders would perform prayers by lighting joss sticks and hell monies and prayed for health and wealth to the dieties and to welcome the "God of Wealth" into their home so that bountiful blessings and prosperity will be bestowed to every family members for the coming year.
This informal chinese reunion dinner brought about the cohesiveness and unity of the family members and smoothens the process of the formation of small and medium sized businesses, business partnerships and business joint ventures with little frictions and minimun law suits in the operations of the businesses. Most chinese do not believe in long drawn business court battles in the civil courts. They knew that they could waste resources and time when the disputes are in the courts of law.They would rather settled outside the court presided by the trusted elders of the chinese community. The strategic business units are usually headed by one of the better educated family members and trusted and faithful relatives, neighbours and close friends. No outsiders could penetrate the inner circle of the family busineses. When the times are good, this inner cycle of family members, are greatly rewarded for the hard labour and long working hours. When the times were bad, such as recession, the family members were still be employed in the business, elbeit with low pays, and waiting for better times to come.

Recently, the small and medium sized business enterprises were managed and helmed by young educated chinese malaysians and a structured and formal form of business corporation were put in place with various strategic business units with few layers of management, normally headed by the head of the family.

They could survive due to frugal living, hard work and sacrifices, and take a long term plan in their business strategy, waiting for any opportunities that come on the way.

NEP CHINESE

In the 1970's, most of us Chinese did not have the opportunity to pursue the tertiary education after Form 5 or Upper 6 due to the quota in the intake of university students under the NEP, financial difficulties to raise monies for further education, unavailability to get scholarship or loans, few universities and colleges, and family commitments with many school going siblings to take of . Most of us would go for any jobs available after Form 5 or Upper 6. Most of them started of in our career at the bottom of the company's hierarchy with minimal monthly income. Most of us contributed a large portion of our merger income towards the family's expenses as most of our parents were relatively poor. Most of us contributed about 30% to 50% of our take home pay towards the monthly expenses of the family. We had no choice then as there were many family members to feed that included our grandparents.
We were mentally prepared and resolved to work hard to earn a decent living and to learn any trade in order to prepare for any future opportunities that might arise one day. Many of us worked 6 days a week with 1 day off day. Some of them even worked 7 days a week in the service, construction and plantation sectors. The working hours were long - from 8.00 a.m. or 8.30 a.m. to late in the evenings at 6.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. We were willing to work for 10 to 12 hours a day with 1 hour lunch break. But it was the most memorable and meaningful experiences as we were learning a trade and at the time, earning our keeps. We were willing to make sacrifices to hope and prepare for a better and bright future.
After many years of hard work, hands-on learning, experience and fugal living, some of them went in search for better earning jobs dued to work experiences and some of them went to set up small & medium enterprises with their hard earned savings. We were a tough and hardy generation then and most of us were street smart and tough mentally to deal with difficult situations then. A few of them became wealthy dued to diligence and political and business connections. Many of them gradually acquired some measure of wealth and most of them moved up from lower income group to middle income group despite all the disadvantages imposed onto us.
In restropect, the NEP, produced a mentally and tough generation of young Chinese who were willing to work hard and to look for opportunities to make good in life despite the handicap imposed onto us. In looking back, the NEP was the blessing in disguise for it toughened a whole generation of chinese to strive even harder in this country of opportunities despite all the difficulties and road blocks in the business and social environment.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

I used to attend church during Christmas Eve when our church organised Christmas Cantatas during Christmas Eve and Watch Night Service during New Year.

CHRISTMAS EVE

The congregation would arrive early in the evening and would have pot-luck dinner together at the annexe of the church. The senior members of the church would contribute one or two dishes each to make this occasion a memorable and joyous occasion in order to celebrate Christmas Eve together in the church. Then, We would proceed to the church and attended the Christmas Eve Celebration. The MC for the celebration would commenced by leading the congregation in singing Christmas songs and Christian hymns. The MC would introduced the church choir to the congregation. The church choir would present the Christmas Cantatas on stage. The younger members of the church would present Christmas Sketches which usually tell the story of the birth of Jesus Christ at the manger and the arrival of the three wise men from the East and the offering of gifts to the babe Jesus Christ. The MC would call the church elders to close the celebration in prayers and supplication. Then the church elder would ask any church members from the floor if there are any prayer requests and supplication and thanks givings during these joyous occasion. The Christmas Cantatas ended with joyful and memorable celebration and felt assured of the saving grace the our Lord Jesus Christ.

The 9th. Hainan Association Malaysia Youth Badminton Championship on 18th - 20th December 2009 was held at Semambu Badminton Hall, Kuantan. Altogether 15 men teams and 7 ladies teams participated in this badminton tournament. It was encouraging to observe that the majority of the team members were relatively young except for the team leaders. The badminton teams were from Ulu Tiram, Kemasek, Klang, Port Dickson, Perak, Kemaman, Telok Anson, Kuching, Selangor, Malacca, Kulai and Kuantan, participated this tournament.

Kuantan Hainanese Association was the Organising Committee after 9 long years in the wilderness. I must commend Mr. Pang Ching Chay and the Organising Committee for taking this challenge to organise this badminton tournament after more than 2 months of preparation. There were initial hiccups in organising such a big national event given by the fact that we had organised this tournament 9 years ago. Eventually, all the plans were put into place and the tournament was well organised given by the fact that they had only 2 over months to plan.

We would like to congratulate the winning teams and thank all the participating teams for their support. We must also remember that there are winners and losers in any tournament but the most important thing was that it brought fond memories and friendship (kinship) in participating this tournament.

See you all in Ipoh, Perak, in 2 years time!

Suukee Boleh!

PARADIGN SHIFT OF AN OLD ASSOCIATION

As the Assistant Welfare Bureau Chief of Persatuan Hainan Kuantan, I usually received the SMSes concerning the dismiss of our elderly members. I would usually attend the funeral wake either at the decease family's house or funeral palour. Lately, I noticed that very few of the Committee Members attended the funeral wake in order to show respect to the decease and to grief together with the family members.
I would suggest that the Committee Members make an effort to attend the funeral wake as the decease's family members would be very appreciated that the representatives of the Association show concern and kindness in their time of bereavement. This is one of the public relations in order to connect them to the Association.
In the old days, the Association was very influencial amongst the hainanese community as the Committee Members then, could settled most of the problems such as helping to remit monies back to their counties, attending to their welfare and to act as the mediators to settle disputes.
We have slowly but surely lost the influence accorded to us in the old days dued to the evolution of a progressive society.
I would suggest that we must have the paradign shift in order to cater for the changing needs of the members so as to remain relevent. Needs ideas have to be created in order to cater for the needs of the members or else we may become irrelevent!

As the Assistant Welfare Bureau Chief of Persatuan Hainan Kuantan, I usually received SMSes late in the afternoon, to inform me of the dismiss of our beloved members who had passed away. I would usually attend the decease at their family's home or at the funeral palour. Recently,I noticed that the attendence amongst our Committee Members was reduced to about the usual 4 to 5 Committee Members. It is disheartening to observe that our Committee Members were lukewarm in attending the funeral wake in order to pay respect to the deceases and to grief together with their family's members in their time of their berearement

RECONNECT WITH THE GRASSROOTS

I was heartened that the local leadership organised numerous social activities in order to reconnect with the grassroots in order to be relevent with the grassroots. Recently, on 6th. December 2009, the 155 veterans who are above 60 years old, were invited to have lunch organized by JKKK Kg. Tengah / Kg. Jawa, Kuantan. They were given angpows and a small token of appreciation prior to the lunch. I am sure that the veterans were pleasantly surprise to receive angpows worth RM 50.00. Even though the amount was nothing to shout about but at least, they were appreciated by the authority for remaining loyal in their support of the ruling government.
I would like to see more activities of this nature to be organised in future for the benefit of the people. When the ruling party appreciate and thank their loyal supporters by orgainising these activities of this nature, they will continue supporting the ruling party when they perceive that the ruling party cares and appreciate them for their contributions.