Woman of Substance...

with a relatively low profile.

Last night, I had the opportunity of sitting with a group of business associates at a wedding dinner in Ipoh. It was wonderful, being able to listen to some bragging among members of what I would call 'the Mutual Admiration Club’, while I am still a stranger to them.

One of them was nicknamed by my friend as the ‘Sultan of Batu Gajah’ for having a car with registration number ‘1’. His business associate actually called him ‘Sand King of Perak’, while introducing another from another table as ‘Sand King of Selangor’ if I am not mistaken. Justifying his purchase of luxurious cars, he related to us a Mercedes salesman’s story of a rich man using an old Merc who used to send it for servicing. Once he passed on, every of his sons bought a new Merc each. 'Since we cannot take it with us, why not enjoy what we can now?' he added. I would put it as it was also because of bumper profits, to have higher capital allowances for tax purposes.

The business associate said he is caught in the present slowdown of having bought 24 housing lots at Rm120,000 each. If this is not bragging, I do not know what is. SP whispered to me that one of them looked like a famous miner’s son. Though she was mistaken, he indeed, used to be a miner and she had tendered for his amang before some 20 years ago. Before she could pose the question, he could not wait to tell her that he knew her mother. Even the Sand King asked about certain pieces of land owned by her. While I would not like to compare wealth, as the Cantonese saying goes, ‘yat san wan yau yat san kou’ which means, ‘for every mountain, there is a higher one’. At the time, I was so tempted to quote Warren Buffet and his modest way of life and generosity towards charity, which is legendary, to put them in their place.

In spite of the display of wealth, I could detect a certain deference to the old lady’s business acumen. To put in perspective, I wish to quote an ex-Pusing resident:

According to Pusing Hakka Lao to my son: ‘I also know your grandma, a shrewd, smart and rich dulang washer. Your grandmother is the eldest daughter of Ah Miao (nicknamed, at that time everybody in Pusing had a nickname) and Ah Miao Po, your great-grandmother, the smartest and richest dulang washer in Pusing’.

Just for the record, it is not the same being the richest dulang washer and being the richest tin miner!

While they were talking about local politics, none of them knew I know a thing or two but as I have mentioned earlier, I am still enjoying my anonymity, not that I am going to be famous anytime soon! Honestly, I would prefer being an active blogger than a politician.