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!”