The world of Tzu Chi August 2020 (Vol.125)

2020 • 08 18 eature Taking a rewarding turn “If we change our perspective and seek an alternative solution, we’ll be able to move on,” advised businessman and Tzu Chi volunteer Ho Wing Hong, who found a new direction in life after MCO restrictions dealt a blow to his karaoke business. T zu Chi volunteer Ho Wing Hong had been operating a karaoke enterprise for many years. Business had been stable, until the recent enforcement of the MCO, which devastated the leisure and entertainment sector and forced Wing Hong to close three of his outlets. During the MCO period, income was almost zero, yet he still had to pay the rent for his remaining branches and his employees’ salaries. Nevertheless, he was deeply grateful to his employees for willing to reduce their pay by half to tide the company over during these hard times. “Many people assume that ending a business is an easy option, but it’s not. For the shuttered outlets in shopping malls, I have to spend over RM10,000 to hire renovation workers to dismantle the premises. The mall management has mandated that renovation works are only allowed in the middle of the night to avoid affecting customers; the labour costs past midnight are triple the normal rate,” Wing Hong clarified. The changes brought about by the pandemic had drained Wing Hong both physically and mentally. He openly acknowledged that the MCO restrictions had inevitably impacted businesses to a certain extent. For the first time in more than five decades of his life, he felt uncertain about his future, but he reminded himself to not lose hope. As a video documentation volunteer for the Tzu Chi Documenting Team, Wing Hong now has more time on his hands for videography tasks. “The karaoke trade is not an essential sector as the service is not a daily need. Even if I reopen my business, I’m worried that the premises will be bereft of customers. If I keep dwelling on the plight of my business, I’ll surely lose sleep, because there’s no chance of seeking an alternative during the MCO. Since I’m staying idle at home anyway, I took on the duty of documenting the relief distribution sessions for refugees and migrant workers. I feel that I’m much more fortunate compared to the refugees and migrant workers,” he reflected. Refugees and migrant workers earn a daily wage and live on the fringes of society. Many of them were unemployed during the MCO, leaving them to struggle for their livelihoods without an income. Wing Hong recalled witnessing refugees and migrant workers who were at risk of being evicted by their landlords due to outstanding rent pleading for help from or expressing their grievances over their sorry plight to the volunteers. He was deeply moved by his observations of the harshness of life for the disadvantaged communities. Wing Hong opined that even if he had to tighten his belt and live on his savings, at least he was assured of proper meals and sufficient finances for his household expenditure. Indeed, witnessing the suffering of others reminded him to count his blessings. Photograph by Yong Mun Fei