“Mari adik, mari kakak, barang murah tapi berkualiti!” (“Come here, brother, come here, sister, cheap but quality goods!”)
Curious about the source, a group of Malaysian tourists, browsing souvenir items to bring home, turn their attention to two women in a shop. Clearly, the tactic employed by local traders Fatima Liu, 38, and her younger sister Aisha, 36, is successful in catching the attention of these Malaysian tourists, who walk straight into their premises.
Fatima and Aisha run a business selling items such as bedding, tablecloths, bags and accessories. They told Bernama that their ability to speak Malay not only simplifies business transactions, especially with customers from countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei; it also fosters closer relationships with people from these nations.
“Business dealings become easier and more profitable because customers are attracted when they hear a foreign trader speaking Malay. That’s why I always encourage traders here to learn Malay instead of focusing solely on English,” said Fatima.
“If learning Malay can bring us profitable business, why not learn it?”
Aisha shared that they began learning Malay informally about 15 years ago when their shop welcomed customers from Malaysia, brought in by a “Malay uncle”.
“I started by learning one word at a time, which eventually formed a sentence. Over time, I became more fluent. For example, today I would learn the word ‘makan’, tomorrow ‘cuci’, then ‘wangi’, and eventually, I could form a complete sentence.
“At first, it was a bit difficult, but over time, it got easier. The advantage of speaking Malay has allowed me to establish agents in Malaysia and Indonesia, which has helped expand my business,” she added.
Mastering the Malay language further enhances their experiences while vacationing in Malaysia, as they no longer need tour guides to communicate with the locals.
In fact, Malay-language proficiency in China opens up highly promising prospects, not just for Fatima and Aisha but also for individuals such as Wu Keyi aka Kenari, who easily secured a job offer.
A final-year student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Malay at the Communication University of China, the 21-year-old is set to start his career as a manager at a logistics company in Shenzhen this July.
“I’m fortunate to have learnt Malay. When my employer discovered I could speak it, they immediately offered me the job. The company is looking to expand its market into Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore.
“Because of this, they need employees who are proficient in the language. Moreover, students like me are also very familiar with Malaysian culture and lifestyle, which gives me a competitive edge,” he concluded.