|
COMMON THREAD
StarTwo, September 11, 2006
IF YOU put a group of Malaysians in a room anywhere – be it Kuala Lumpur, Perth, London or New York – the conversation inevitably turns to two things: family and food. These are the two great passions of Malaysians and they also seem to be a uniting factor.
This is evident on the Global Malaysians Network (GMN) forum where the discussion can range from migration issues and where to buy belacan in Australia to knowledge sharing and sustainable development.
Nora Shah of Perth, Australia, says there is a common bond among Malaysians the world over. “We came from the same place and share the same love – food,” says Nora.
She just migrated to Australia last year with her Australian husband and two children.
|
Nora with her husband Murray Allan and their children Omar and Hanna. |
|
“I still miss the food even though you can get nasi lemak bungkus and nyonya kuih here in Perth if you know where to go. But what I really miss is how easy it is (in Malaysia) to go out to eat any time of the day, as well as the shopping days and hours.
“Here, shops close early. Only Perth city has Sunday shopping and only on certain nights there is late night shopping till 9pm,” she says.
Migrant issues
For Nora, as a new migrant to Australia and homemaker, it is very important to keep in touch with other Malaysians.
“It helps me remain Malaysian and proud to be Malaysian. We also share the ups and downs of living in a foreign land,” she explains.
According to Nora the GMN forum has helped her learn from other members’ experiences and she’s also gotten practical tips like where to get Malaysian durian and other foodstuff in Perth.
Like Nora, Vijay Moorthy also lives in Perth. He migrated to Australia 22 years ago when he was just 24 years old.
|
|
Vijay with wife and their three sons – Dhinesh, 9, Nhaveen, 5, and 18-month-old Kaeshaan. |
|
His wife is also from Malaysia and they have three sons. Vijay, an engineer, has a brother and a sister living in Perth and three sisters in Malaysia. He visits Malaysia once every two years.
While browsing the Star Online’s portal, Vijay read about the GMN forum and saw the potential to help other Malaysians who are abroad.
“I must admit I have learnt a lot myself. Sharing experiences helps one reflect on true values. Via this forum I am learning how other people think and feel about certain things. It also helps me keep in touch with my ‘roots’ by sharing all the experiences from childhood, parenthood challenges and the intricacies of everyday life,” says Vijay.
Sharing information
John (not his real name) of Kuala Lumpur has also been reading about the experiences of those who have migrated and some who are thinking of migrating.
The banker is contemplating that option right now and is still weighing the pros and cons.
Although he has contacted some old friends who now live in Australia, he says it is a bit strange to suddenly start asking lots of questions about life in Australia.
“Some of the forum members have just migrated and they’re around the same age as me so it’s good to hear their experiences, their fears and concerns, and what’s so great about life over there,” he says.
“Because we’re all Malaysians, sometimes it’s easier to talk. We have a lot of things in common. If you go to another forum like one of the Western ones, I find they talk about a lot of other things which we are not so interested in.
“Being Malaysian, we have the same background and for us family and family values are still so important,” he says.
Helping others
Architect Gerard Lee, 39, of the United States, joined the GMN forum to share his experiences and knowledge. Having been abroad for the past 18 years, Lee knew his experiences as a Malaysian living abroad could help others.
“I have met some interesting people on the forum, shared and learned a number of things as well. I think a lot of Malaysians who have migrated have a need to reach out and help each other. Forums like GMN are mainly about Malaysians overseas reaching out and forming communities,” says Lee.
|
|
Gerard Lee: Forums like GMN are mainly about Malaysians overseas reaching out and forming communities. |
|
Debating construction issues as well as sustainable development on the forum has also helped publicise Lee’s company, Gerard Lee Architects.
“There have been developers and individuals who have contacted me regarding projects. For the most part they have found my firm to be knowledgeable in sustainability and environmentally-friendly design and buildings.”
Knowledge exchange
Nik Zafri Abdul Majid, associate consultant/ trainer with TIJ Consultants in Kuala Lumpur, is another professional who has made a name for himself through the forum.
“Almost every day I receive 10 to 20 personal messages through the GMN forum from Malaysians abroad,” says Nik Zafri.
For him, knowledge exchange is crucial to his work. The feedback he gets, he says, is invaluable in helping him grow personally and professionally. Sharing information in real-time is so important, says Nik Zafri.
|
|
Nik Zafri: 'It is easier to liaise with someone if the person is from Malaysia.' |
|
Although Nik Zafri has been to other forums, he says it is easier to talk with Malaysians.
“It is easier to liaise with someone if the person is from Malaysia. I can negotiate with Europeans and others but it is easier to have a Malaysian around. That’s the advantage. As long as it’s a Malaysian, when you meet them outside, you can talk about the same things ... mostly it’s food,” says Nik Zafri laughing.
Rekindling friendships
Nik Zafri reveals that he has benefited personally from the forum as it helped him locate a long-lost friend.
“I last saw him about 30 years ago when we were both in Standard Three. I put up a message at the forum stating that I was looking for him. One of his relatives read that post and a few months later he contacted me.
“I was shocked when I received an e-mail responding to my post at the GMN forum. I couldn’t believe it. He used to share sandwiches with me and we used to play football together in school,” Nik Zafri enthuses.
His old classmate will be visiting Malaysia soon and they’ll be meeting up then.
The love of food, family and sharing common values is what binds Malaysians no matter where they are and how long they’ve been away from the country. Because of this bond some of the GMN forum members are even arranging get-togethers in Australia and Malaysia. What better way to network with fellow Malaysians.
• The Global Malaysian Network is an initiative by the Asian Center for Media Studies (ACMS), supported by The Star. Its objective is to facilitate networking and tap into the resources that Malaysians all over the world can share with one another. The GMN forum can be found at www.globalmalaysian.com/forum.
Copyright Star Publications (M) Bhd
ALSO:
Help for bad knees, September 25, 2006
One of the 'famous five', September 24, 2006
Tribal treasures on show, September 17, 2006
Motivational tools, August 13, 2006
Thumbs up for Hammer and humour, July 9, 2006
Booking her way to health, June 4, 2006
How it all adds up, May 21, 2006
A web of interests, April 30, 2006
No limit to ideas, March 26, 2006
Small wonder, March 19, 2006
Powered by books, Feb 26, 2006
What's in a bag?, Jan 8, 2006
Making a list, checking it twice, Jan 1, 2006
Versatile reader, Dec 25, 2005
Memories of Xmas past, Dec 25, 2005
Affordable art by Masters, Dec 18, 2005
The alchemy of jewellery, Dec 18, 2005
Fantasy reigns supreme, Nov 6, 2005
Words to examine her soul by, Oct 23, 2005
Growing need for online remedy, Oct 9, 2005
Yearning for learning, Oct 9, 2005
Lim laughs and learns, Oct 2, 2005
From Thumbelina to Middlesex, Sept 25, 2005
Death of the local folktale?, Aug 28, 2005
Raving about retro, July 17, 2005
A Beary nice era, indeed, July 17, 2005
Λ back
to top |
|
