KUALA LUMPUR: The Chinese character "Sheng," meaning "increase" or "rise," has been selected as Malaysia's Chinese Character of the Year for 2024 .
According to a report from China Press, Tan Sri T.C. Goh, president of the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) and advisor to the Character of the Year initiative, noted that the choice of "Sheng" reflects two key perspectives: the public's feedback on their living conditions, expressing a desire to avoid added burdens or pressures, and the people's hope for national economic growth.
He explained that the character "Sheng" symbolises the public's wish to avoid rising prices of goods and commodities, as well as avoiding increasing pressures in their daily lives.
"This is somewhat similar to the characters 'Zhang' (increase), selected in 2013 and 2022, and 'Gui' (expensive), chosen in 2023, as they all express related concerns," he added.
Datuk Ng Heng San, Chairperson of the Malaysia Annual Chinese Character Selection Committee, shared similar sentiments, stating that the 2024 character strongly connects to those chosen in the past two years.
"Sheng cleverly embodies the essence of 2022's 'Zhang' and 2023's 'Gui', reflecting the shared concerns of voters," he said.
"This unanimous and unplanned selection of a character that represents a collective voice highlights the unique nature of this year's choice. It also reflects social issues that resonate deeply with people, particularly those closely tied to their daily lives," he explained.
Ng further revealed that the winning character narrowly beat the second-place character by just 0.34 per cent of the votes, making it a highly competitive selection.
"This year's character is multi-faceted, offering different meanings and interpretations depending on one's perspective," he added.
At the unveiling event on Sunday (Dec 15), attendees celebrated the occasion dressed in traditional Chinese attire such as Hanfu, Tang suits, and festive New Year clothing, commemorating the inclusion of Chinese New Year in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
The Calligraphy Society of Malaysia also invited calligraphers to write the top ten shortlisted characters live during the event.
The society's president, Ng Swee Kheng, used a brush to write the winning character "Sheng" following its announcement.