Something we are proud of.

SIN CHEW PRESS 2010-02-05 18:39

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I'm here to tell you that my granny, along with the grannies of other six million Chinese Malaysians, sailed across the oceans here not to sell their bodies!

With her bound feet, granny came here to support a family. And when the Japanese troops rolled over Malaya, she led the family to safety.



When the situation became more stable later, she negotiated with the Japs to get a licence to do business, and had been able to expand her business when the Brits returned. She treated her Malay and Indian neighbours as her own compatriots, and would prepare a whole stack of angpaos on the first day of every Chinese New Year to distribute to the Malay and Indian kids queuing up in front of our house. She leased out a small plot of land for a Chinese primary school, but had not in decades asked for the return of the land.


Every year on 31 August, she would try to find a national flag and hang it up high on a very long pole in front of our house. She landed on Malaya, and treated this place her own country. She had not had another home or country since.

When she passed away, many Malaymakcik came to our house and sobbed over her passing.



With her unparalleled wisdom, hard work, morality and determination, she spent her entire life in a very respectful manner. No one can ever insult her and accuse that she had come here to sell her body!

My granny, like the grannies of many other people, was a truly great woman.

From Malaya to Malaysia, they were scattered in every family and every corner of this country.

From the rubber-tapping workers in the estates, to the excavators in the tin mines, they were the most hardworking and exceptional women anywhere in the world. During those darkest years, they displayed the most glorious side of humanity. They sacrificed their youths and lives, so that you and I, along with our homes and nation, can come into being.

Even though they might no longer be around today, they still live deep inside our hearts, and support us morally.

Not only the country's laws will come after you, Nasir, you still owe our grannies a sincere apology.

(By TAY TIAN YAN/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)