Selling of New Book

After the launching of  "The Tastes and Flavours of the Foochows" the books  were sold in two different venues in Miri - one in Mega Hotel and one in the Imperial Hotel today (8:30 a.m. till 10:00 p.m.).

Before the Welcoming Dinner at Imperial Hotel this evening some of the committee members of the World Foochow Congress took the opportunity to buy the book and have photographs taken by Steve Ling.

I was so touched by this very appreciative White Hair Foochow (Beatle Hair Style) who kept on bowing in the traditional Foochow way at 90 degrees upon receiving a signed book from Wong Meng Lei. ML later wrote that he should have bowed 90 degrees too and more times....

Three authors signing at Mega Hotel lobby.



Wong Meng Lei and Yi Fang posing with the blogger shaking hands with DS Wong Soon Koh (a Foochow from Sibu..)at Imperial Hotel in the evening when the VIPs arrived.  Arrivals of VIPs are usually very fast and the VIPs would be whisked to their tables immediately. But some VIPs do take time to say a few gracious words to the bystanders and those who put up five foot way stalls to peddle their "wares"~!~~~

By the way......Many Foochows have held the portfolio of Minister of Transport. It started with Wong Nai Siong who went back to China from Sibu in 1903 to take part in the Chinese Revolution and was elevated to the Ministerial Post of Minister of Transport by Dr. Sun Yat Sen.

Another famous Foochow Tan Sri Ling Liong Sik also held the post of Minister of Transport for many years in the Malaysian Federal Government. And over the years Dato Seri Wong Soon Koh also held the portfolio of Transport Minister in Sarawak. Looks like Foochows have quite a historical hold on this portfolio!!

DS Wong SK taught history in Methodist School when he first graduated from Australia and was therefore my colleague for a year before I left for my own studies. It was gracious of him to come over to congratulate us as we writers manned our book stall trying to push the books!! Hopefully he would buy a few copies when he goes back to Sibu and allow the book to be part of the tourism industry . Many tourists are interested in the cuisine of the local people. And perhaps we could also get a special Foochow village food and snack centre offering (50 different dishes every day) to be started to help attract tourists.

The record of buying the largest number of books is held by the daughter- in - law of Tan Sri Yek Ming Yik of Bintulu who spent RM265.00 at our stall.

Selling and signing of books at Imperial Hotel Level 5 Ballroom in Miri in conjunction with the 3 Foochow Celebrations in Miri 19th - 21st November 2010 was quite a memorable experience for all of us.

Thank you Steve Ling for your quick action and meaningful photos.