The Hakka Lady sings for Malaysians

Huang Hong-ying, the Chinese diva specialize in singing Hakka songs

The mostly 4,000 strong Hakka audiences were mesmerized with the Hakka songs belted out by Chinese diva Huang Hong-ying who performed at the Hakka Cultural event in Seri Kembangan recently.

At 49, Huang still at her best during the performance in Seri Kembangan recently

Huang a.k.a the "Hakka Lady" was part of the Hui Zhou city's 17 members cultural group who visited Malaysia recently. Huang shared that Hakka folksongs are the natural voices of the Hakka folks which developed from the daily chores performed by the ordinary folks. Huang was taught the art of singing Hakka folksongs since young by her mother. One of the more popular albums she produced was “Hakka Moi”.  She had performed in various countries in Asia, Europe and Northern America and will continue to promote Hakka folksongs as a flourishing art form. She also sings in Cantonese and Mandarin. Some of her admirers even claimed she is better than the late Teresa Teng.

Cai Ming-Er was happy with the reception given by Malaysian audiences
 

Hui Zhou is situated in Guangdong province in China. The Hakka dialect is widely spoken in Hui Zhou just as in Seri Kembangan. The group also performs in Kuantan and Kota Kinabalu.

Ean Yong, assemblyman for Seri Kembangan who hosted the event

The cultural group performances were under the auspices of the office of Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah and zone 21 - 24 Residents Committee (JKP) of the Subang Jaya Municipal Council.

Part of the 4,000 crowd thronging the open stage event

The cultural performance was held on an open air stage constructed at the end of Jalan SK 6/1 in Seri Kembangan where many cultural events have been held in the last three years. Residents started trooping in as early as 6.30 in the evening. The event started with performances by local groups which include middle aged ladies performing some dance moves with agility and stamina that can put some younger ones to shame.

MPSJ councillor Tai Cheng Heng presenting a souvenir to Cai Ming-Er, flanked by Ean Yong, Teo Nie Ching and other dignitaries

Present during the event were Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah, Serdang Member of Parliament Teo Nie Ching and MPSJ councillors Ng Sze Han, Tai Cheng heng, Chong Hoon Ming and Loka Ng Sai Kai. Also present was deputy director-general of Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Bureau of Huiyang District, Hui Zhou City Cai Min-Er and Ling Lifang, who is vice chairman of Returned Overseas Chinese Union of Huiyang District, Hui Zhou City. - Loka SK Ng

Serdang Spiritual Connection

With the appointment as an Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya councillor, I  was also appointed as chairman for MPSJ's Zone 24 Residents Committee. Zone 24 is one of the 24 zones within the Seri Kembangan state constituency which constituents are mostly Chinese especially from  the Hakka clan. Seri Kembangan is part of the Serdang parliamentary constituency which also includes Bangi and Balakong state seats. Zone 24 can be said as the "last frontier" of MPSJ as the immediate Balakong neighborhood is under the administration of Majlis Perbandaran Kajang (MPKj).

At Zone 24,  the first place that comes to my mind was the Mines Resort City which was built on a former open cast tin mine. Within the resort city are various tourist related attractions including the Mines Wonderland, Capital Retail (previously Mines Shopping Fair ), Mines Wellness Hotel and other attractions. Other residential areas in Zone 24 includes Serdang Lama and Taman Sungei Besi Indah where the Zone 24 community centre is situated.

Interestingly my linkage to Zone 24 has been there for more than 10 years ago.

                                                        Source: The Sun, 30 July1996

 

In July 1996 I initiated and organised the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia's anniversary celebration rally held at the Mines Wonderland, a very popular theme park during that time. By then I was already in leadership positions of the Buddhist youth organisation's national council and the state committee. About 1,800 YBAM members and their families were provided free entrance to the Mines Wonderland for the rally held at the theme park's amphitheatre. A team of young volunteers especially from the Subang Jaya Buddhist Association was with me throughout the night to prepare the event venue. On event day, buses from all over the country arrives as early as 7am to take part in the rally.

                                               Source : K Sri Dhammananda - A Pictorial Retrospect

 

The highlight of the day that receives a standing ovation and thunderous applauses was the speech given by the Most Venerable K Sri Dhammananda who was also the Religious Patron of YBAM. For those who attended that memorable morning, that moment was something that we can cherished and remembers for a long time. A day when we were deeply very proud and happy to declared ourselves as a Buddhist, especially as Buddhist youth.

Source : Guang Ming Daily 30 July 1996

But then nothing is permanent. Since the demised of the late venerable and silence of his lion's roar, the environment in the community has been anything but an absence of national leadership and direction; feeling of void and emptiness ( too bad it is not emptiness as in the Heart Sutra) and worst - the disintegration of a firm and authoritative Buddhist voice in the local scene.

Source: K Sri Dhammananda - A Pictorial Retrospect

 

When the Mines Wellness Hotel, which was originally known as Mines Beach Resort and Spa was preparing for its' grand opening sometime in 1997 the owner invited the YBAM to organised a huge almsgiving ceremony for the Buddhist clerics, religiously known as the Maha Sanghikadana in the Buddhist context.  About 400 Buddhist clerics (monks and nuns) from all over Malaysia were present to accept  dana from the owner, Lee Kim Yew. It can be said that all the rooms and resorts has been blessed by the Sangha members before the resort received any other paying house guests.

A grand vegetarian lunch was prepared and served at the hotel that day. Interestingly, since it was a newly built resort, the kitchen facilities were all brand new and modern that the team of cooks from a local temple was reluctant to used the facilities.  They were worry that they might not adapt well to the new utensils and might damaged them! At the end of the day everything went smoothly and the resort was fully blessed by no less than 400 monks and nuns led by the Most Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda, the most influential and charismatic Buddhist monk in Malaysia's modern history.

Zone 24 indeed was one of the sites where some of my most memorable spiritual and community engagements with Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda unfolds years ago. - Loka