Pages

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Kedah Teochew Association Annual Dinner in Sg. Petani, Kedah

On the 27th March, I chaired the Kedah MCA Government Policy Bureau meeting in Kedah. In Kedah, the chairman of the Government Policy Monitoring Bureau is Datuk Chong Itt Chew who was a former EXCO member. 

Basically, if we want to monitor government policy in PR states, we must learn how to play the role as an opposition member. Unfortunately, most MCA members don’t seem to know how to play the role as an opposition effectively.  

We need to learn how to oppose constructively and it is important for MCA members to monitor the performance of state government in terms of policy announcement and its implementation if we want to play our role well.

I must admit that after 308 election, a lot of active MCA leaders’ morale were badly dented. While some have recovered, some have not. The economic slowdown is not going to help as the morale booster.

That night, I attended the Kedah Teochew Association’s annual dinner. I was surprised that about 1000 people attended and it was a well-organized dinner with 2 MCs, one speaking in Mandarin and the other in Teochew.

There is a need for parents to speak to their children in dialect. Other than Cantonese, I am worried that most spoken Chinese dialect would slowly but surely suffer a gradual decline, leading to its ultimate ‘death’.

I have the advantage to stay with my parents and since my parents were from China and illiterate, they spoke to me in Teochew. While my children and grandchildren stay with me, we tend to converse in English, Mandarin and only sometime Teochew. I am trying my best to speak to my grandchildren in Teochew, otherwise all the dialects, except Cantonese would suffer from what we call disuse atrophy.

The existence of dialect-based associations face tremendous challenge on how to attract young people to join them and keep the spirit of the dialect group alive.

The next day, I attended the nomination for Bukit Selambau. 

5 comments:

呉 和豪 said...

YB Dato Seri Dr.chua

我同意很多年轻人现在已经不懂得讲自己的母语(方言)想借用你的网梽来把我创作的同安曲传送给住在十八丁的同安乡亲
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GejrxZ5dHQM

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8paVCQJZQiA
谢谢。

呉 和豪 said...

YB Dato Seri Dr.chua
Please allow me to add the lyric and melody thank you

我同意很多年轻人现在已经不懂得讲自己的母语(方言)想借用你的网梽来把我创作的同安曲(南洋濱海民謠)传送给住在十八丁的同安乡亲
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GejrxZ5dHQM


www.youtube.com/watch?v=8paVCQJZQiA
吃鱼的时候就想到盐想到海也想到靠海为生的乡亲及先贤们。我祖籍是福建同安,

海对我们是非常重要,我们祖先是从福建同安的厦门港口出发,乘帆船靠海来到南洋 ,在海濱登陆,之后又散居在,吉打港口, 槟城姓氏桥,十八丁,Kuala Kurau, Pantai Remis,Klang ,Pulau Ketam五条港,Melaka, Batu Pahat ,Muar就在哪儿海濱地带捕鱼,或当码头工人或做小生意。

海对每一个马来西亚人都是重要, 为我们提供了富有蛋白质的海产,还是我们与外界联系的交通要道。我们要好好的保护海洋资源,好好维持海上交通安全,使鱼民安心作业。对于最近马来西亚海军打退索马里海盗的事件,我们是非常光荣和高兴,但我们也希望海军也能够好好的保护马来西亚的鱼民.

同时也要积极保护及发展与鱼业有关的工业,如造船业,养殖业,使到鱼村能持续发展。

也请听我为了表达对鱼民的敬意而作的[南洋濱海民謠]


閩南曲:南洋濱海民謠
大同民歌 歌詞:呉和豪 曲: 呉和豪
i i 7 5 /   6 653  /55656 /352  /
银城同安, 山青水秀, 地靈人傑好所在

i i 7 5  / 6 653  / 55656/235 /
大同思想,  淵遠流長, 大同流傳全世界


3 3 5 5  /6 6 6 5 / 66533212  /
大同心 , 淵源深,   越嶺過海南洋生

3 3 5 5/6 6 6 5/ 66563/35i
集美道, 興教育 ,  百年樹人好公德


i i 7 5 / 6 653  /  55656352 /

尋根歇祖, 經貿聯誼, 銀鹭來往兩鄉地

i i 7 5  / 6 653  / 5565235    /
互相信任 互相尊重 世界人民心連心

nur mohd nidzam said...

hai sex minister,
why are you still with the party that continiually abuse,insult and threaten the chinesse people of malaysia.

armskot said...

YBhg Dato Seri,
It's good to read and to know that you're concern about our root and our language in this post as in the past you seem to neglect this aspect when you had failed to turn up for many Chua Clan Chiyang Association in Muar activities especially when they hosted the ASEAN level Chiyang clan meeting and convention in Muar; which you were the guest of honour and the pride of of the clan and association being a government minister. Let's remember our root and our forefather; thus they will always bless us in all our undertakings.
Regards,
Chua of Muar.

Pearls said...

Ya.. I grew up speaking Hokkien to my grandma, hainanese to my dad, cantonese to Ah Kuan cheh aka the maid but my mom never allow us to call her maid, english to my mama and 2 idiotic but very lovable brothers, bahasa and english to my nyonya "kum moh" aka aunt!

Ya, it's funky and fun to be able to speak so many dialects. Amaze the crap out of people all the time!

Welcome to my Blog

As a concerned MCA member, I am trying my best to help in the process of rebuilding and repositioning of the party.

Therefore, I welcome party members and members of public to post your constructive suggestions and opinions on my blog on how to rebuild and reform the party, eventually enabling MCA to regain support from all party members and the community.


Thank you for your suggestions.