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The Chinese are not the same anymore

by | Jul 31, 2021 | Opinions | 0 comments

PHOTO – Jabatan Penerangan Malaysia

BY: PRAKASH KRISHNAN

Tracing the overseas Chinese diaspora, Overseas Chinese expert Lynn Pan came out with a highly-acclaimed book with the title ‘Sons of the yellow emperor’ and it has been the standard by which scholars and researchers have done their work on China.

Lynn Pan, now 76 years old, simply amazes readers with the depth and wisdom of her knowledge in trying to explain for us to understand the psyche and nature of the Chinese that lived away from Mainland China.

The book was quite a while in the works and leads us to gather knowledge on how the Chinese have come out of the ‘Bamboo Curtain’ era to the forefront of the world’s trade, business and economy.

In Malaysia, the Malaysian Chinese have kept pace with developments concerning the Chinese diaspora around the world and they as well have grown tremendously in changing their outlook and expectation of life.

Before Merdeka or Independence in 1957 and after, the Chinese in this country focused mainly on economic issues. They were tin miners, provision store owners and hawkers or petty traders. Their economic focus was mainly monetary.

The Chinese back then were the main gangsters and robbers operating ‘kongsi gelap’ activities and any opportunity or means to make a buck was alluring and enticing to them that they were labelled as  ‘money crazy’ and will stop at nothing just to make some money.

But not anymore. The Chinese are not the same anymore. In keeping with global developments affecting and concerning the Chinese they have changed their motivation and thrust and have come up with a broader and  refreshingly fresher understanding of prosperity.

Gone are the days of merely chasing the mighty Ringgit, the Malaysian Chinese are now trying very hard to improvise and improve on their image and the perception that the other races have of them.

This has led them to develop educational and intellectual pursuits, they are striving for a much higher Quality-of-Life and they are seeking ways in many fields of endeavor to improve and better themselves holistically.

This now shows on their character, their bearing and composure, their personality and the marked transformation that has taken place within the Malaysian Chinese community which the Malays and Indians should also strive hard to follow and emulate.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher

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