This member draws attention
VETERAN MCA member Tan Kia Aik, 76, does not stand out from a sea of fellow party comrades clad in blue but his watercolour artwork reveals a hidden talent.
Tan, who has completed up to 90 sketchbooks full of watercolour drawings, has depicted everything that strikes his fancy.
This includes a life-like rendering of the durian fruit, as well as a drawing of badminton champion Datuk Lee Chong Wei leaping in the air with his racquet.
He gladly showed off some of the sketchbooks he was carrying with him at the 59th MCA annual general assembly, saying with pride that he also wrote the descriptive passages accompanying each drawing.
Other drawings included the Eight Immortals, ginseng, flowers, koi fish and many other culturally significant subjects.
“I learned calligraphy as well. As for the drawing of Chong Wei, I wanted to show our support for him. He is our national pride and joy,” he said, adding that he planned to publish a book of his drawings.
Depending on the complexity of the drawing, he said it would take him about 30 minutes to several hours to complete each piece.
Tan, a former headmaster, stressed the importance of preserving Chinese culture for future generations, adding that his drawings were his personal contribution.
He said he had been an MCA member for over 40 years and had never failed to miss the annual party assembly.
“I hope the next generation learns the value of perseverance, and the importance of following through what they start until the end,” said Tan.