The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 797 Malaysian Chinese!

When asked about the key point, Wu Dafang said, "Starting in the 1970s, Malaysia implemented the 'New Economic Policy' that prioritized the Malay and indigenous peoples."

The regulations stipulate that Malays must make up 30% of a company's capital, non-Malays can only make up 40%, and foreign capital cannot exceed 30%, in order to achieve 'racial economic balance'.

Today, only two banks remain for Chinese people in the banking industry: 'Popular' and 'Hong Leong'.

However, approximately 80% of Malaysian SMEs are still dominated by Chinese, and the reality in Malaysia is that 'Chinese control the economy' or 'Chinese are all bosses and wealthy people.'

Lin Zhiyuan nodded. He hadn't been idle these past few days either, going deep into Kuala Lumpur to investigate local conditions.

He discovered that in Kuala Lumpur, it was easy to watch Hong Kong and Taiwan films on Cantonese channels on television and to buy Chinese newspapers at newsstands.

Lin Zhiyuan also encountered several "tourists from his hometown" at the Petronas Towers who claimed to have lost money at the "Genting" D venue and were asking him for travel expenses.

Of course, Lin Zhiyuan had seen at some dinner parties that Chinese people would get up and move to another seat because Indians would eat with their hands.

However, although the descendants of Chinese here can speak fluent Malay, English, and Cantonese, their Mandarin is not very good, and sometimes they even have difficulty writing their Chinese names in full.

However, all of this is already quite remarkable.

Because Malaysia is the place where overseas Chinese language education is done best.

In Malaysia, there are 1280 Chinese primary schools, 60 Chinese independent secondary schools, and 3 Chinese tertiary institutions. Behind them are the cultural achievements of the Malaysian Chinese community through more than 100 years of hard work and perseverance.

"It's no exaggeration to say that the history of Chinese education in Malaysia over the past 190 years is a history of our Chinese people's struggle." Wu Dafang said excitedly, gesturing wildly.

Lin Zhiyuan listened intently, and before he knew it, the teacup in his hand had gone cold.

Outside the window, the lights of the Petronas Twin Towers still shine brightly in the Kuala Lumpur night, but the cultural entanglements behind this city are so complex.

Just then, the aroma of nasi lemak wafted into the restaurant, and several young Chinese people at the next table were chatting and laughing in Cantonese mixed with Malay.

Wu Dafang looked at them and said, "Although the new generation speaks a mix of languages, at least they can still send text messages in Chinese."

Last year, the number of applicants for Chinese primary schools exceeded 100,000, setting a new record. His eyes glistened with tears. "That's why we insist on holding the 'Chinese Education Charity Run' every year; even the nasi lemak vendors donate a day's earnings."

Apart from these issues, other parts of Malaysia are relatively good.

"Diversification" was the key word Wu Dafang used to describe Kuala Lumpur.

First, there is ethnic diversity; second, there is religious diversity, with various religious sects coexisting.

Third, it is linguistically diverse, with English, Malay, Indian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, and Hokkien coexisting.

Wu Dafang continued, "HSBC planned to open 26 branches in the country, and all 26 managers were brought in from Malaysia. These 26 Chinese managers are fluent in both English and Chinese."

Fourth, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia boasts a diverse culinary scene.

"There are all kinds of delicious food available 24 hours a day, including local Malay cuisine, Hindi cuisine, YN cuisine, Burmese cuisine, and Filipino cuisine."

Why do Malaysian Chinese who have been abroad for a week often want to come back?

"Because I miss the food here, there are so many snacks here," Wu Dafang said with a smile.

At this time, Xiao Huang, the driver who came with Lin Zhiyuan, also talked about his experience when he first came to Malaysia.

It was during Xiao Huang's second week in Malaysia, and there was a Chinese-owned tea restaurant near his accommodation.

Being unfamiliar with the area, Xiao Huang timidly walked in, intending to order food in English.

The owner, a man in his fifties from Fujian, greeted Xiao Huang warmly in Mandarin: "Young man, you just arrived, right? What would you like to eat?"

Just as Xiao Huang was about to answer, a Malay customer at the next table asked the owner in Malay when the curry noodles would be served. The owner immediately switched to fluent Malay to respond.

In the blink of an eye, an Indian woman came in, and the owner switched to English to communicate with her about the dishes.

The most amazing thing is that the young waiter in the kitchen calls out the names of the dishes in Hakka, the boss responds in Hokkien, and the cashier is chatting with tourists from Hong Kong at another table in Cantonese.

The whole process took less than ten minutes, and Xiao Huang witnessed this ordinary Chinese boss seamlessly switching between six languages.

After finishing his meal, Xiao Huang couldn't help but ask the owner, "You can speak so many languages, that's amazing!"

The boss waved his hand with a smile: "What's so great about that? This is how we Malaysian Chinese grow up. We speak our dialect at home, Mandarin at school, English and Malay at work, and different dialects when we meet with Chinese friends from different regions."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Language is not a burden for us, but a survival skill. This diverse society has taught us how to live in harmony with everyone."

Xiao Huang listened intently, and the owner poured him another cup of hot tea. Amidst the fragrant steam, the owner continued, "Look at our staff. Ah Ming, who cuts vegetables, is from Chaozhou, and Ah Lian, who washes dishes, is from western Guangdong. Our conversations are like a United Nations meeting." He chuckled, the wrinkles around his eyes brimming with the wisdom of years.

Just then, the wind chimes at the door rang softly, and three Malay girls wearing headscarves entered together.

The owner immediately stood up and greeted them warmly in Malay with a Penang accent, also reminding them of the newly launched Nasi Lemak set meal.

Xiao Huang noticed that when recommending dishes, the owner would naturally adjust the focus of the recommendations according to the customers' ethnicity—emphasizing hometown flavors for Chinese customers and highlighting halal dishes for Malay customers.

After listening to Xiao Huang and Wu Dafang's words, Lin Zhiyuan looked out the window thoughtfully, thinking that the "RT-Mart" Group must adapt to local conditions if it wants to establish itself in Kuala Lumpur.

He suddenly recalled what he had seen in Petaling Street that morning: a Malay woman wearing a headscarf was haggling with a Chinese shop owner in fluent Cantonese, while the Indian stall owner next door was greeting customers in Hokkien.

“What surprised me most was the cultural fusion here.” Lin Zhiyuan twirled the teacup in his hand. “Yesterday at Central Market, I saw Malay artisans carving Chinese screens, while Indian artists next to them were painting Journey to the West patterns using batik techniques.”

Wu Dafang smiled knowingly: "Last year, Malaysia's cultural and creative industries grew by 12%, among which the 'Peranakan Porcelain Art' series set a million-dollar record at a European auction house."

"This technique, which combines Ming Dynasty blue and white porcelain with Malay rattan patterns, is now known as 'Straits Baroque'."

Suddenly, the restaurant's TV started playing the news, showing a Chinese member of parliament wearing a songkok hat debating, but the subtitles were in Malay.

Wu Dafang lowered his voice: "Did you know? Last year, this member of parliament got into a heated argument with a Malay member of parliament, and the two almost..."

Lin Zhiyuan couldn't help but smile, yet he seemed to be deep in thought.

"If your RT-Mart Group wants to establish itself in Kuala Lumpur, you need the support of powerful figures like MP Song..."

Lin Zhiyuan noticed that the television was broadcasting financial news, and on the screen, a Malay female entrepreneur wearing a headscarf was being interviewed.

Wu Dafang followed his gaze and said, "That's Datuk Sarah. Her technology company just received a special support fund of RM10 billion from the government."

He paused, "Actually, the Malay elite class is also divided. Reformers like her advocate for diversified development."

Just then, the waiter brought over a plate of golden curry fish head, the rich aroma interrupting the conversation. Wu Dafang skillfully separated the fish meat with a spoon and continued, "Last month, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Malay Chamber of Commerce jointly held an economic forum with the theme 'Multi-racial Economic Win-Win'." A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes, "Even SX attended, which would have been unimaginable ten years ago."

Lin Zhiyuan picked up a piece of fish, nodded thoughtfully, and said, "It seems that Malaysia is undergoing subtle changes."

Wu Dafang nodded, pointing to the brightly lit shopping center outside the window: "More than ten years ago, that was a market exclusively for Malays. Now, Chinese and Malay shops each account for one-third of the market."

Suddenly, a news report interrupted the television broadcast: "...The Ministry of Education announced that Chinese language elective courses will be added to national secondary schools..."

Wu Dafang suddenly dropped the chopsticks in her hand on the table, somewhat excited.

“My uncle is a retired principal of a Chinese language school. He has been waiting for this day for forty years.” His voice choked with emotion.

Several Malay youths at the next table looked over curiously, and one of them asked in broken Mandarin, "Sir, do you need any help?"

This unexpected turn of events surprised Lin Zhiyuan, who raised an eyebrow in astonishment.

Wu Dafang wiped his eyes and smiled, "These days, young Malays are all learning Chinese. A third of the students in my daughter's tutoring class are Malay; otherwise, it would be difficult for them to work in Chinese companies."

The restaurant owner brought over two cups of teh tarik (pulled tea) at just the right moment; the water droplets condensed on the rim of the cups were crystal clear under the light.

“This is a new product in our store,” he proudly introduced, “specially blended using Pu’er tea from Dongda University and Malaysian Lacha tea.”

Lin Zhiyuan took a sip and surprisingly tasted the flavor of his hometown's oolong tea in the aroma.

After the meal, at Wu Dafang's suggestion, Lin Zhiyuan and his group walked along Ye Yalai Road.

Wu Dafang jokingly calls Kuala Lumpur a "traffic jam city," saying that being stuck on the road for one or two hours every day is commonplace.

It's even more of a headache when it rains, because on average there's one car for every four people here, and some families have almost one car per person.

The reason is that you can buy a car in Malaysia with zero down payment, and petrol is cheap. In addition, the city's public transportation system is not well developed, so if you want to travel freely between your suburban home and your company in the city, you have no choice but to buy a car.

“If you ask 10 people in Kuala Lumpur, 9 of them will tell you that what they hate most is Kuala Lumpur’s traffic,” Zheng Wudafang said with a smile.

“Yes, transportation is a big problem. Our first flagship store in Kuala Lumpur needs to be located in a place with convenient transportation…” Lin Zhiyuan said with a frown.

Wu Dafang patted Lin Zhiyuan on the shoulder and pointed to the elevated bridge under construction not far away: "Look at that MRT project in the 'Greater Kuala Lumpur Plan'. Once all three subway lines are open, traffic congestion will be alleviated by 30%."

You could consider the Bukit Bintang shopping district for your location; it's a major interchange hub for three MRT lines.

Lin Zhiyuan looked in the direction Wu Dafang was pointing and saw workers installing glass curtain walls on the overpass. The afterglow of the setting sun gilded the steel frame structure with a layer of gold.

“This project is a joint effort between East Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur,” Wu Dafang added. “The engineers from Southeast University brought the latest tunnel boring machine technology, which shortened the construction period by a full eight months.” He paused, “In fact, Chinese-funded projects have brought a lot of changes to Kuala Lumpur over the years—look at the newly built solar-powered bus station over there, and the garbage recycling system that went into operation last year.”

Looking at the pedestrians on "Ye Ya" Road, people came and went. Although it was bustling, the road was indeed very crowded.

There are indeed many Chinese people here, and the environment feels similar to that of Hong Kong.

We play many social roles, such as cultural transmission, instilling values ​​in the entire ethnic group and nation, and uniting the Chinese community.

Wu Dafang said that Sin Chew Daily is currently the largest Chinese-language newspaper in Malaysia, with a daily circulation of 40 copies. The newspaper has 1200 employees, nearly 80% of whom are Chinese.

A report in the Malaysian newspaper analyzed that Malaysian Chinese take family interests as their spiritual basis, and Chinese businesses are mainly family-run. The family becomes the fundamental capital and management unit of the enterprise, and many successful businessmen come from the "apprenticeship" system of family businesses.

The unreliable succession of family businesses by outsiders has made it impossible for many Chinese businesses to operate sustainably. Resale or acquisition has become an inescapable "fate," and "family division" and "wealth not lasting beyond three generations" have become fatal wounds for the decline of family fortunes.

Interestingly, Sin Chew Daily is also one of the cultural industries acquired by Oriental Daily Group, a media empire under Liu's overseas capital.

You don't know until you go abroad, and once you're out there, you're shocked.

Lin Zhiyuan felt that the tentacles of "Liu's overseas capital" were practically everywhere.

Not to mention retail groups like RT-Mart that are vital to people's livelihoods, cultural companies like Sin Chew Daily and tourism companies like Four Seasons Hotels have also become part of the daily lives of Southeast Asians.

In addition, there are "Asia Pacific Bank" in the financial sector and "Global Communications" in the telecommunications industry, both of which occupy a significant share of the Southeast Asian market.

Lin Zhiyuan suddenly remembered that the billboard he saw at the airport prominently displayed the slogan "Global 3G, Connecting the Future".

As night fell, Wu Dafang suggested that they visit "Chinatown".

Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur, also known as Petaling Street, is the oldest part of the city with the strongest Chinese atmosphere.

Although it is located on a small piece of land in the area, it is a bustling place.

Especially during the Spring Festival and other holidays, this old street becomes the liveliest place in the city, and it is also a very famous night market in Kuala Lumpur.

This place sells everything from Dongda clothing and fabrics to traditional Chinese medicine. It, along with the Central Market, is also a hub for smuggled, counterfeit, and cheap goods, primarily clothing and watches.

Petaling Street is part of Kuala Lumpur's multiculturalism and is also one of its most charming Eastern features.

There are many Chinese restaurants and snack shops on Hanlaiji Road and Sudan Road, and they set up tables and chairs on the road after nightfall.

Many people come here for late-night snacks.

Here, visitors can deeply experience Malaysia's street food culture. Although the street food stalls may look inconspicuous and unhygienic, the food here is absolutely trustworthy and delicious. You will easily find that some stalls are very small but packed with customers.

For example, pork offal congee, braised duck, wonton noodles, and beef brisket noodles from Lai Fung Tea House.

When school ends, you'll find many secondary school students hanging around this area. This is not only because there are several private Chinese secondary schools and a few reputable tuition centers nearby, but it's also a good place for students to buy small gifts and trinkets.

During the day, many boutique wholesalers and specialty shops are open here, making it easy for tourists to buy affordable and high-quality souvenirs.

As night deepens, the lanterns of Petaling Street light up one after another, illuminating the cobblestone street like a flowing galaxy.

Lin Zhiyuan followed Wu Dafang through the bustling crowd, surrounded by the sounds of bargaining in Hokkien and Cantonese. The crisp sound of vendors tapping their iron spoons against the edge of the pots mingled with the sizzling of fried rice noodles, making him feel as if he had been transported back to a night market in Hong Kong.

"Try this!" Wu Dafang suddenly handed over a glutinous rice roll wrapped in a banana leaf. "It's a modified version of Nyonya kueh, with Malacca palm sugar added."

The moment Lin Zhiyuan bit into the glutinous rice, the caramel syrup and the fragrance of pandan leaves exploded on his tongue, and suddenly the sound of "Night-Blooming Jasmine" played by an erhu and an electronic keyboard drifted from afar.

Around the corner, a silversmith wearing reading glasses was casting gold ornaments in front of a glass cabinet, which displayed pendants that combined the twelve zodiac animals with Quranic motifs.

“This is the third generation of the inheritor,” Wu Dafang said in a low voice. “His grandfather took the Chaozhou engraving craft to Southeast Asia for forty years ago, and now even the Malaysian royal family comes to order wedding jewelry.”

Before he finished speaking, three Malay girls wearing headscarves squeezed into the shop, laughing and gesturing as they pointed at the lotus-shaped brooches in the window. The silversmith immediately switched to fluent Malay to greet them.

(End of this chapter)