Four-Angle Beans

The Malaysian coffee shops or commonly known as “kopi tiam” have a unique feature which is a “parliament” for Tom, Dick and Harry to congregate. This is the place where coffee shop “philosophers”, “theorists” and “propagandists” are aplenty. They spin a yarn over a cup of coffee on the latest issues in the country.

Their abilities to argue and debate would put any top-notch politicians to shame. But, deep inside the “know-all” image, they have shrunken testicles so to speak, yet they speak like the puffs of a chicken arse. Some are rhetorically convincing by shooting their mouths like stray bullets yet not knowing one’s arse from one’s elbow. This special breed of Chinese is molded specifically for such congregation to speculate, is like the four-angle beans.

Before going to the Figures of Speech what the four-angle beans is about, lets take a peek into the Chinese mentality and their conceptual thinking related to their lives that have made them sustainable and how they weather the storm in any eventuality.

On the whole, the Chinese abilities derive from their excellent sense of economy which has become their winning edge for centuries. But by having a good sense of the economy, it does not guarantee their perennial survival without the earnest cooperation to harness with the belief of their economic prowess.

The physiological needs of food, shelter, clothing and education have embedded in the Chinese minds leaving cooperation to take the sideline. Any Chinese would expostulate till the cows come home that they are cooperative. Indeed they are cooperative unless they have advantages from such cooperation.

Since such attitude has unfolded itself to be read like an open book by other races, the Chinese on the whole has exposed their weaknesses to be manipulated. Division in their community network could be a cinch by surreptitious move to pit a new leader against the incumbent, and everything is history. This is obvious in the MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association) after Tun Tan Cheng Lock.

Authority is status, and status generates the opportunity for embezzlement. Greed, Power and Wealth are the ingredients that make a perfect dish to harvest avarice. No one in the sane mind will reject it, will they?

However, there are those who will turn away from such unscrupulousness, but who and where are they? They are the minority who care for others above self!

They are the Chinese who will mobilize themselves to seek for the truth and support any good cause - come what may. This new generation of Chinese is still far too slow to react and with much hesitant because of uncertainty.

The emergence of Bersih to seek for a clean and fair election, the Chinese could be counted in the mammoth crowd, even much lesser than the Indians by miles apart.

The birth of Hindraf to protest against marginalization, where were the Chinese? Chinese are marginalized too, but the impact was not that great compared to the Indians. The Chinese were there, but a mere handful of miserable numbers.

The Human Rights Walk and the Anti-ISA vigil saw more Chinese participating because their presence were inevitable but not of choice.

However, the condemnations of injustice filled the air of the coffee shops. Their acceptance of premature defeat for Bersih and Hindraf was submissive because nothing could be done, they said, against the might of the ruling government.

No one was calling for civil war and no one screamed for racial riot, but the cry for JUSTICE was loud and clear!

It is a crying shame wanting to share a piece of the country’s economic cake yet the Chinese remained redundant by refusing to stand up and be counted. So, what is the rationale behind the Chinese reluctance to participate in the cry for justice? They are precisely synonymous to the four-angle beans.

1. “Kiasu”(Hokkien) “Keanshe”(Cantonese) “Khongsu” (Hakka)
Literal meaning : afraid to lose out to others.
Figurative meaning : wanting more than the others.

2. “Kiasea” (Hokkien) “Keansei” (Cantonese) “Khongsea” (Hakka)
Literal meaning : afraid to die.
Fugurative meaning: no courage.

3. “Maisu” (Hokkien) “Moishe” (Cantonese) “Um moisu” (Hakka)
Literal meaning : unsporting/un-gentleman.
Figurative meaning : to keep hanging on unashamedly.

4. “Maisea” (Hokkien) “Moisea” (Cantonese) “Um moisea” (Hakka)
Literal meaning : refusal to die.
Figurative meaning : full of pride.

But when it comes to a critical situation, the Chinese will still wait and see. If they have to show support, they will stand behind the crowd so in case of eventuality, they will be the in the safe zone to take to their heels with their tails between their legs.

So, when they return to the coffee shop, they will definitely make a mountain out of a molehill. They will claim credits for their participations. Their animations of the battle cry will bring shudder to fill the air; their gesticulations with kung-fu stances will give Jacky Chan a run for his money, and their imaginary heroic achievements will be the talk of the town.

But deep inside their systems, they still have the traits of the four-angle beans – Kiasu, Kiasea, Maisu, Maisea.

The Chinese are money-loving people and many will care two hoots about politics. This is the smokescreen on display that they are peace-loving and prefer to mind their own business. The other ethnic Malaysians are peace loving too, but at least they will stand up and be counted when the needs arise.

Discipline is the key note. When Chinese can discipline the way they think then cooperation will surface.

For instance, their tardiness at formal functions has a story to tell. The threshold for cooperation should start from their discipline of tardiness in order to educate themselves the way how they should think, so that they could redeem their rightful place to be a member of the caring society.

To those Chinese who not only care for themselves but also for other Malaysians irrespective of colours, creeds and religions, I salute you sir, for you have given me hope and respect, to be and feel like a Chinese.

So, whenever I turn to my left or right, I could lift my head high to my Malays, Indians and other ethnic friends and proudly exclaim, “We are one!”

Freedom In Fetters

In the context of democracy, the citizens must be protected at all costs as what are defined in the book of law. The government that is voted by the people is expected to deliver fairly otherwise it will end up with parodies.

Malaysia has a mélange of different cultures and such make-up is not unique anymore where for fifty over years, the people are still not been harnessed by sheer tolerance and respect. The fragility of such composition has blatantly scuppered by irresponsible leaders in the government when the decay is not duly addressed.

The country is reaping what has been sowed! What has 2009 brought us despite we still have three more months before 2010?

The government has failed to bring unity to the country and the cohesiveness between the government and the people has ultimately widened.

Blame not the people who had voted for the Opposition in the last general election. Blame not when the people despise the hypocrisy of the present government. And blame not the people who took to the street.

The government has taken jaundiced views on any events which it deems a threat. This is the general perception of the public on the whole where the dragging of feet has become a norm in the government to address any pressing issues faced by the people.

By keeping ISA to silence the dissenters is a draconian act and it is injustice done to all Malaysians as well. The pro-ISA boring and endless litany of praises for the government who is so much depended on ISA as a tool to govern will make any one purge with disgusts.

Any government who acts on fear rather than rationale, the reverence for a prime minister will ultimately sizzle and come to naught.

Religious bigots are attempting to denude the rights of one’s religion as enshrined in our constitutions, and they could go scot-free of seditions and intimidations. For too long, the Barisan controlled media have promulgated the intolerance of religion to PAS. In fact, it is UMNO to be blamed!

For the past years, Malaysians saw the wanton demolition of Indian temples; the insensitive objection to the Cross of Mission Schools and a decree was issued to halt the erection of the Sea Goddess statue in Sabah are plain betrayal of the Constitutions.

However in Kelantan, the statue of Buddha stands freely under PAS government. If the state of Perak is run by PAS then fairness will prevail. However, there is still reservation if PAS runs other states.

What is meant here is not solely reflected on the political party but the personality that represents the party matters most. So, what is it so bad about PAS and what is it so good about UMNO when it comes to religion?

Our fervent hope as Malaysians is to see the country is run with fairness and justice.

First and foremost, venality must be stopped, and it should start from the Barisan government to prove that it is the government of the people otherwise 1Malaysia will be just a humbug.

It is imperative for the government to look beyond colours, creeds and religions to sanctify true democracy.

Should there be a change of government? The answer is YES. It is because as a democratic country, Malaysians are actually having their freedom eroded gradually, and such freedom is actually a freedom in fetters.

Civil Society

Our politicians talk about the needs of a civil society, how the people’s collective action should voluntarily encompass around our shared interests, purposes and values.

We know that peace and prosperity cannot be achieved without partnerships involving Governments, international organizations, the business community and the civil society itself. In today’s world, we depend on each other to co-exist.


To my knowledge, civil society includes charities, neighbourhood self-help schemes, improving health, education and living-standards. But the most important of all is the human rights campaigns in a repressive society should be unbridled, to allow the people an avenue to their constitutional rights to vent their grievances.

By taking to the streets is not the answer, but a necessity when the people have exhausted all avenues available to them. When politicians from the government are faced with such a situation of, needs must when the devil drives, then mass arrest becomes inevitable.