Mandarin inadequacy costs Chia Kwang Chye Penang’s CMship?

Now this is something that really makes my day.

An excerpt from the Sun newspaper report below where one of the candidates for the Chief Minister’s seat Chia Kwang Chye laments the fact that his inadequate command of Mandarin might just cost him any chance of making it to Penang’s topmost political seat of power? Wonder if these news made it to Malaysiakini?

I lost out due to inadequate command of Mandarin’
PENANG (Feb 22, 2008): Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye says it was his inadequate command of Mandarin that caused him to lose the race for the post Penang Chief Minister.

Asked why he was retained at the federal level instead of being one of the candidates for the prized post and if he was surprised with the decision?

Chia said: “I was told that my Mandarin is inadequate. I think the criteria was emphasised and publicised in the newspapers and now it looks like the criteria of being a good Mandarin speaker seems more and more important.

“It seems it has become important based on the issue being raised by the (Penang) Chinese Town Hall, that Mandarin speaking is a very important criterion.

This aspect has been raised over the past few weeks and so in this respect, I am not adequately qualified.”

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The question of the very important aspect that one has to have in today’s world is the grasp of Mandarin. What kind of Mandarin? Well, you need to know that in the World of the Chinese, Putonghua is the highest standard of the learning of Mandarin.

Myself with the Deputy Dean of the School of International Education, Shanghai Jiotong University, Associate Professor Fei Yu-fang, who witnessed the presentation of the Unico Holdings scholarship presentation event and of another Hanyu Study collaboration MOU that I have successfully closed. Alhamdulillah.

I am proud to be associated with one of the best Mandarin @ Hanyu Study Programs available right now here in Malaysia. The Shanghai Jiaotong University – Global Hanyu & Culture Center, a member of the GEM Group.

It is one of the official Confucius Institute, a Hanyu promotion network led by The Office of Chinese Language Council International (www.hanban.edu.cn) under the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

The Shanghai Jiaotong University & Global Hanyu Culture Center based at Petaling Jaya offers the best quality Mandarin Study programs and also many programs suitable for just anyone who intends to improve oneself in learning Mandarin and Chinese Culture.

We are based at the Jaya 33 Business Complex along Jalan Semangat, Section 13, PJ.

Trial classes are available if you want to check out what is in store for you in adding Mandarin to your list of spoken and written languages in your resume.

Call me to find out more at 6-016-3969881. I can set up a suitable program for you according to your budget and time schedule. As they say, where there is a will, there’ll surely be a way! 🙂

If only Chia Kwang Chye had got wind of our Hanyu Study Programs a couple of months back, by now the man might have a very good chance of clinching the Chief Minister post?

Anyway, no worries ‘Tai Loh’, you can always pick up anytime from now. You can still have a fighting chance to make it in the next election. Want to learn Mandarin? Call me 016-3969881.

This is a video I took of our Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Ong Tee Keat, the MCA Vice-President who graced one of our recent events where we held a scholarship presentation to 26 of our Global Hanyu & Culture Center students who received sponsorship from Unico Holdings to further their degree studies in our Shanghai Jiao Tong University campus in Shanghai, China.

As you can see, Dato’ Ong Tee Keat whom I have admired and supported all these whiles for his laudable efforts to speak up for the Malaysian people both in Parliament and in his capacity as the incumbent MP for the Pandan constituency, has shown his mettle in his grasp of the Chinese culture.

Great job brother! May this 12th Malaysian GE 2008 see you re-elected to serve the people more!

So, people. Come study Mandarin of the highest levels with us at SJTU-GHCC. We are here for you! There are many unique advantages by studying with us.

Amongst them are:

1. We teach STANDARD PUTONGHUA, different from the accent-punctuated dialectic Mandarin such as Huayu in Malaysia.
2. Our curriculum and pace of teaching are adjusted to suit the learners needs.
3. Our classes are small, between 8-12 students. Although many of our students request for one-to-one coaching (which is available by special arrangements), we encourage students to join groups so they can learn and benefit from the group dynamics.
4. Our teachers are from China or trained in China or by Chinese experts.
5. We have a good collection of the most up to date learning resources on Chinese language, culture and contemporary China.
6. Shanghai Jiao Tong University-Global Hanyu & Culture Center provides a smooth pathway to short term immersion studies in China in our GEM Suzhou or SJTU Shanghai campus.

If you are a businessman or woman who intends to go tap into the growing market of China, the world’s emerging economic and political powerhouse, you better come equip yourself with Mandarin, for the Chinese are well known to prefer doing business with those who can speak their language and are proud to maintain their ancient heritage and traditional culture.

To Malaysian students from all walks of life, study Mandarin with us and see your chances at success be boosted multifold. Contact me to find out more.

Email me with your questions.

Xie xie nee.

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