The Chinese In Malaysia
I have done it all over again. I have written a long blog on the above topic only to find it disappearing after mistakenly clicking on the translation key. I think it's like that. Sometimes things just happen. I could either loose my temper or just swallow it all up and retype everything all over. I choose the latter. I cannot actually remember exactly what I wrote but it's something about the Chinese community in Malaysia (evidently from the topic). I plan to revert from the original journal-esque entry and focus more on writing something that does not reflect my moods. During the pass few days after rereading my previous entries, I found something pretty ridiculous, I have been getting proposals from gays. I don't mind befriending gays and I have loads of friends that have different sexual orientations but I am not inclined towards that orientation. I have a tennis partner that is totally one and if I may add, whacks the ball (tennis) like it's his sworn enemy! Coming back to this, I guess I'll just have to retype and re-blog everything again. The gist of it is that the Chinese that are present in Malaysia were basically "outsourced" from a few areas in mainland China. There are numerous dialects and provinces that "supply" the workforce to colonial Malaysia pretty similar to the slave trade that was so blatant during the "Kunta Kinte" days. There were many stories regarding these laboureres that they were labelled as "piglets" and was forced to sign agreements that they cannot afford to pay back. These laboureres are mainly from the Southern part of China, the Cantonese hails from Canton or Guangzhou Province, Hokkien speaking people from Fujian, Hainanese from Hainan Island, Hakka, Fuchow and some minorities like Kwangsi from Kwangsi province.
All the different enthic immigrants are brought for different work. It's a method of divide and rule in the form of the colonial masters. A tactic that basically creates rifts between the various dialect speaking Chinese people. As it is the people tend to get involved in certain societies based on their ethnicity, surname and others which further segregate the communities. All these societies were the knockoffs of secret societies that were so rampant during the demise of the Qing Dynasty in China. There were mainly 2 major secret societies which is the "Ghee Hin" and the Hai San". During the tulmultous and chaotic periods, both these society would slug and pillage and to burn each other's places in order to exert control over each other's territories. It was a real free for all then. During those times, the area which they control was quite a significant area of Peninsula Malaysia. I could remember the image of Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu Hustle" which so vividly portray the same happenings in China.
From what I understand from my dad and which was entirely hearsay, different chinese people are involved in different careers post war. The chinese were initially brought over to work as labourers in tin mining as well as rubber plantations. When the population of the chinese grew, many branched out and started different businesses. This is of interests as the business that certain groups are standard with the Hokkiens mainly concentrating on 2 major business, bicycle shops as well as prostitution fronted by budget hotels. We can see loads of left over hotels in Chow Kit Road which used to be an infamous red light district during the late 70s and early 80s. A small portion of cycle shops still survived till this day but it has gradually lost out to the modern hypermarts that sells everything from plastic bags to gas powered cycles. Some are still in business thought, more in the outskirts and smaller towns like Teluk Intan and Banting.
The Cantonese are the ones that are mostly more inclined towards arts and crafts. Most would be tailors or barbers. Some are involved in making toys and and making paper effigies that was used for certain ceremonial festivals. The Foochow are the agricultural people, mainly involved in plantation and because of that they are more concentrated in certain parts of Malaysia like Sibu, Kuching and some areas of Peninsula like Sitiawan and Muar. These group of people are very frugal and they are the ones that become affluent due to the extensive landbanks. The also excel in politics which is why at one time MCA is helmed by many Foochows.
The Hainanese are the ones that are really good cooks, coming out with the sumptous Chicken Rice which has become reknowned all over Malaysia and also most are involved in coffee shops and catering business. The Hakkas are the enterprising people involved in Sundry shops and so forth.
I reckon my family is a bit unorthodox as we were neither involved in cycle shops nor cheap prostitute laden hotels. My dad was involved in constructing and during the initial part did pretty well before he passed away many years ago. After his demise and coupled with the recession, the company was eventually "siphoned" away by his partners. My sibling that was managing the company was unable to stem this and we ended up having nothing. I was lucky in the sense that I had an education and it really didn't bother me that much. Being a first generation chinese and having my parents that hailed from mainland China I would think it would good precedent to have a occupation that is totally different from out historical careers.
All the different enthic immigrants are brought for different work. It's a method of divide and rule in the form of the colonial masters. A tactic that basically creates rifts between the various dialect speaking Chinese people. As it is the people tend to get involved in certain societies based on their ethnicity, surname and others which further segregate the communities. All these societies were the knockoffs of secret societies that were so rampant during the demise of the Qing Dynasty in China. There were mainly 2 major secret societies which is the "Ghee Hin" and the Hai San". During the tulmultous and chaotic periods, both these society would slug and pillage and to burn each other's places in order to exert control over each other's territories. It was a real free for all then. During those times, the area which they control was quite a significant area of Peninsula Malaysia. I could remember the image of Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu Hustle" which so vividly portray the same happenings in China.
From what I understand from my dad and which was entirely hearsay, different chinese people are involved in different careers post war. The chinese were initially brought over to work as labourers in tin mining as well as rubber plantations. When the population of the chinese grew, many branched out and started different businesses. This is of interests as the business that certain groups are standard with the Hokkiens mainly concentrating on 2 major business, bicycle shops as well as prostitution fronted by budget hotels. We can see loads of left over hotels in Chow Kit Road which used to be an infamous red light district during the late 70s and early 80s. A small portion of cycle shops still survived till this day but it has gradually lost out to the modern hypermarts that sells everything from plastic bags to gas powered cycles. Some are still in business thought, more in the outskirts and smaller towns like Teluk Intan and Banting.
The Cantonese are the ones that are mostly more inclined towards arts and crafts. Most would be tailors or barbers. Some are involved in making toys and and making paper effigies that was used for certain ceremonial festivals. The Foochow are the agricultural people, mainly involved in plantation and because of that they are more concentrated in certain parts of Malaysia like Sibu, Kuching and some areas of Peninsula like Sitiawan and Muar. These group of people are very frugal and they are the ones that become affluent due to the extensive landbanks. The also excel in politics which is why at one time MCA is helmed by many Foochows.
The Hainanese are the ones that are really good cooks, coming out with the sumptous Chicken Rice which has become reknowned all over Malaysia and also most are involved in coffee shops and catering business. The Hakkas are the enterprising people involved in Sundry shops and so forth.
I reckon my family is a bit unorthodox as we were neither involved in cycle shops nor cheap prostitute laden hotels. My dad was involved in constructing and during the initial part did pretty well before he passed away many years ago. After his demise and coupled with the recession, the company was eventually "siphoned" away by his partners. My sibling that was managing the company was unable to stem this and we ended up having nothing. I was lucky in the sense that I had an education and it really didn't bother me that much. Being a first generation chinese and having my parents that hailed from mainland China I would think it would good precedent to have a occupation that is totally different from out historical careers.
posted by mercuri2000 at
1:08 PM
1 Comments:
I'm in! I'm in!
By
Sharon D., at August 24, 2005 9:45 AM
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