Ma and his favourite photo – meeting the Tusan Horse.
ALEX Ma has been working in a church-related office for several years, helping with the courier service, driving, and the work of the editors.
Together, they form a good team of workers under a chief administrative officer, who is a historian and writer.
Ma would be the one to greet you if you happened to drop by the Methodist Message Office even when he’s busy taping up parcels of magazines and books.
His responsibilities at the office, the literary arm of the Sarawak Methodist Chinese Association of Churches, are simple — as a general helper, driver, and delivery man.
Ma is a good handyman. He cheers everyone up and helps lighten office work — always helpful and positive.
A small shelf made by Ma.
During the Movement Control Order (MCO), he made the best use of his time at home doing something creative.
‘Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay Active’ have been very important to him. In that time, he was able to design and work on the pallets he collected. A year ago, he completed an item for a friend who loved his work.
After that, he started working on the spare wood he had gathered. He got even more excited when he started making some money.
“I’m glad at this difficult time, my friends are still ordering from me. I design cupboards, shelves, special storage boxes, kitchen units, tables, and chairs. The products are selling well.”
Ma was born in Sibu in 1973 into a small family. He started helping his father in the family grocery when he was very young — so he understands the meaning of making a living.
He is a descendant of the pioneering Hin Hua family headed by Ling Ah Siu and his wife, who came to Sarawak in 1922.
“I always knew we had to work very hard to put food on the table. Sometimes, I think I never really had time to play. I had to help my father all the time.”
Only son
Ma is the only son in a family of three siblings, with two older sisters. His father depended on him to help out in the shop when he was still a student.
A low table made of pallet wood.
Ma left home after Form 5 not to have a holiday but to get a job. He managed to earn some money to study for a diploma.
He remembered it was hard and challenging while he was growing up.
“I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth even though my ancestors were Hin Hua pioneers of Sibu,” he told thesundaypost.
His friends find him responsible and hard-working and trust him to do a good job for them. When they ask him to make a cupboard, he will get right down to it.
During the first three months of the MCO, he made 20 items for customers. He obtained the wood from factories and pre-ordered some. His favourites are pallets — good rough wood 4×4 feet in dimension. He sometimes gets them free from traders who order goods from overseas.
Some businessmen have started collecting pallets for resale. The wood is very strong and widely used for assembling, handling, sorting, storing, and transporting goods as a unit load. Four pallets can be fitted together to make a sturdy box for storing a freezer during shipment.
Some pallets are made of hardwood such as oak, which is suitable for making long-lasting furniture. Oak also has pretty grain patterns.
“If I get good wood, I can start visualising the nice garden furniture I can make with it. Also, kitchen shelves look very nice if the wood is good and the wood grain comes out well with varnish,” Ma said.
Friends have been encouraging him to open a shop as his products are of good quality and priced very reasonably. But he said he would only do so after learning the ropes from other skilled craftsmen.
“Maybe, after retiring,” he quipped.
Inspiration
He said he finds a lot of joy working with wood. Although at first, it was just a small interest, he became more and more fascinated by what wood could offer him.
“Wood is unique and recycled wood can be made into many different things. The work is satisfying and fulfilling,” he said.
Pallets are used by many manufacturers who ship their products to Sibu. The wood is recyclable and besides, Ma can get it free or for a charge but according to him, competition in the carpentry and recycling business is stiff — and even stiffer when it comes to getting freebies.
Ma said whenever he got some pallets, he would start planning the items he wanted to create such as garden sets, cupboards, and racks, adding that pallets are also suitable for kitchen fittings.
He pointed out that the best thing about using pallets are they’re free most of the time. The maker and the buyer would become the best of friends since the price of the end products is low.
His friends have placed orders for flower-pot display racks.
Ma saws the wood and takes all the measurements himself to ensure the pieces fit perfectly.
“A carpenter cannot afford to miss by even a millimetre because it shows in the final product. It’s meticulous work,” he said.
Presently, Ma does not have a complete set of tools and is making do with what he has. So it’s quite amazing he can still design and produce so many different things in the family home, which doubles as a workshop.
‘Hin Hua mi hoon’ prepared by Ma.
Ma the cook
Ma has a diploma in tourism. After completing his secondary education at SMB Tiong Hin in Sungai Merah, Sibu, he worked for a while before taking a tourism course.
During his studies, he became interested in culinary arts — trending at that time — and he developed a great interest in local cuisine, excelling in preparing Hin Hua mi hoon (vermicelli).
“This is a very special dish. If we used genuine Hin Hua mi hoon from Putien China, the mi hoon would be very special and the rice would not stick together.
“The taste is exquisite. Usually, when people eat Hin Hua mi hoon for the first time, they are amazed by the sweetness of the fresh rice and the fragrance of the mushrooms, cabbage, and other ingredients. They will come back for more,” he said.
Ma cooks Hin Hua mi hoon and other dishes during weekends for family and friends, who are hoping he will do some home-catering during weekends and holidays.
He feels inspired by the support from his friends, mostly from the Methodist Church and other related organisations.
As he can cook up a storm, he is the best person to bring along during camping and other fellowship outings.
Another one of Ma’s favourite dishes.
Good spirit
On the Covid-19 outbreak, he said the pandemic had affected people in so many different ways.
“Many feel defeated and depressed by the lack of freedom to move around. Everyone has to adjust to the new normal. But I’m glad most of us can find a way to overcome the issue of home isolation. We can always do something for ourselves and others.”
Ma is happy he had the time for a lot of reflection and could use his hands to earn extra to help his family.
“As I have always had to work hard since young, doing a bit of carpentry is very relaxing and rewarding. It makes me think of the original carpenter who worked in Judea 2,000 years ago, and how he lived a simple life in the village, helping people. Cheer up and be of good spirit,” he said.