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大马家具
挂起麻坡招牌
马来西亚南部一个拥有蜿蜒大河的小城镇－麻坡，这里的商家经营着家具生产业，不仅跃升成我国的家具生产重镇，更在国际上打响名堂。
起源于1983年的麻坡家具同业商会，成立至今已走过25年的风风雨雨。蓦然回首，所有血汗累积的沧桑和努力，竟也是珍贵的价值和宝藏，值得马来西亚家具业作为未来之路的借鉴。
传统手艺 摸索出路
25年前的麻坡，仍是嗷嗷待哺的婴孩。如果不是有远见的领导者，麻坡家具难以发光。
「25年前的麻坡，只有零星三丶五人设立着小型工作坊，藉着传统手艺制造家具。」麻坡家具同业商会创始人兼顾问陈泉春回忆当年，走进时光隧道。陈泉春早年原在新加坡从事建筑行业，直到1976年才回到麻坡，随后才进军家具业。
「当年没有所谓的工业，家具业者也只是些没有什么学识丶文化的木匠，锯呀刨呀等工作都是亲力亲为，有许多还是白手起家，没有什么事业基础。因此木匠们本身虽拥有精粹的手艺，但收入并不稳定，在市场上也无法站在主动的位置，反而处处受制于售卖家私的商家，只有接获他们的订单才能糊口。」
陈泉春说，像这样传统手艺的工作坊在大马各城镇皆有，光是在麻坡，至少就有十来家。「旺季如结婚的好日子丶各族新年佳节时，木匠接下的订单会很多，但如清明或农历七月等日子，他们就可能面对没有订单丶没有收入的窘境。」陈泉春感叹道。
这段漫长的挣扎期，也让家具业者意识到，要解决窘境，就不能再只靠辛劳的手艺制作，家具业的未来，需要的是事半功倍的技术，而且要逐步转向工业化，固定生产产品，才能在市场上采取主动攻势，不只销售稳定，也能把自己产品促销到其他地方去。
在先辈的先见之明下，麻坡家具业在80年代初步入了「半机械化时代」，取代传统耗时耗力的手艺制作方式，成为真正的「家具生产业者」。
然而，半机械化还不足以把庞大的家具，轻易地运往各地销售。聪明的家具生产业者藉着开发的「组合家具」，把家具分成不同的部份制作和运输，等到售卖时再重新组装。「组合家具」的开发，大大提升了麻坡家具的销量，轻便的组合方式也大受顾客欢迎。
商会带头 翱翔国际
1983年，在陈泉春的号召下，麻坡家具业者组织起同业商会，将犹如一盘散沙的同业组织起来，并在几位同业黄世文丶拿督辜金强丶郑联春的努力下，在短短的几个月时间内筹获10万令吉的基金，购置了位于麻坡阿都拉曼路的会所。麻坡家具业者都意识到，结社组织家具商会，将促使商家之间的互相扶持。
「要照顾同行的利益，没有组织是不行的。」陈泉春忆起当年成立时，会员仅仅30几家，而且凡是与家具业有关的辅助工业，如机械丶五金丶原料生产业的商家，都加入商会的行列。
麻坡家具同业商会顾问拿督拿督辜金强说，当年的商会除了保护同业的利益，也调解一些同业之间的纠纷。尤其是进入半机械化后的那段时期，越来越多小园主购买机械就地生产，导致市场泛滥，同行之间的竞争和纠纷也不断。
由内向外扩展人际网络，麻坡家具同业商会後来更加入柔佛州家具联合会及马来西亚家具总会，积极带领同业走入国际，开辟通往出口生意的道路。
距离麻坡最靠近的商业重镇－新加坡，成了当时业者主要学习和汲取经验的管道之一。「新加坡虽然不是促成麻坡家具发展的迅速的关键，但这个繁华的金融贸易中心，有政府在背后的鼎力相助，家具生产业者在招揽生意上，都会获得政府官员的协助。更重要的是，新加坡虽小但资源场地足够，家具业者办起家具展览也非常方便。」
意识到家具展览的重要性，麻坡家具同业商会全力推动，以马来西亚家具总会的名义，分别在1987年丶1989年丶1991年这3年，举办了针对国内买家的家具展览，也为往后的家具展览累积了经验和知识。
1990年代期间，麻坡家具同业商会「南征北伐」，从参与全国代表大会，到组织国外考察团，自台湾丶日本丶德国等国家引入新技术，商会为麻坡家具业向国际翱翔，奠下深厚的根基。
为了开拓国际市场，麻坡家具同业商会在1990年丶1992年丶1994年率先其他州同业，先后举办麻坡家具展丶柔佛州家具展以及麻坡家具外销展，吸引外国家具商前来采购，协助同业搭上出口列车。
马来西亚家具业就此发展迅速，麻坡家具占据不可忽视的重要位置，而麻坡也成功打造出「家具城」的品牌。
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From Nowhere to Everywhere
The yore of Muar Furniture industry was very much family orientated with many scattered around the rural area of Parit Bakar. Links with each other were rarely made and each of them ran their businesses in their own way and approach. Hence the market was then only restricted to the Muar region without much scope for expansion an advancement. In catching up with times and traditional image and upgraded itself into a major industry that utilized machinery on a large-scale basic. Since then, quality has been greatly elevated matching that of international standards.
A change in better environment and rapid industrialization resulted in the local market unable to sustain the fast pace of local production. The venture in new markets was then common objective of every manufacturer. The banner year of 1981 witnessed Mr. Tan Chuan Choon amassed those in the furniture trade toestablish the Muar Furniture Association for the mutual benefits of all in particular the opening up of new markets internationally. Due to the unceasing efforts of Mr. Eng Say Teng, Mr. Koh Kim Toon and Mr. Eddy Tee Lian Choon, a fund of RM 100,000.00 was successfully raised within a few months whereby the Association's premises at Jalan Abdul Rahman was subsequently purchased. Ultimately, the Association became a member of the State United Associated and the Malaysian Furniture Industry Council. Through the Association, the furniture industry of Muar went global with members attending National conferences, overseas market studies and international furniture expositions. Not only that it has moved in the international arena but also state-of-the art technology and machinery were brought back to the country. Since then, the Association has become the driving force behind the amazing growth and development of the Muar furniture industry.
Today Development and Success
Again swift development outpaced current facilities and amenities. Under the new leadership of President Elvin Ng Lai Teck, the Association acquired a three-storey building located at Bakri Road. The new premises, equipped with a conference room, a hall and an information centre, will be able ro strengthen ties among members as well as to provide them with greater information at faster pace.
For greater opportunities and further penetration into global markets, the Muar Furniture Association changed its name to Muar Furniture Chamber of Commerce. The move towards commercialization of the Association resulted in a move active organization forming greater ties with other local furniture associations and also furniture traders overseas. Together all pairs work hand on hand for greater opportunities and better prospects. Other services that have benefited its members include lower avertising rates through the press and other media and lower transport charges.
Full Speed Ahead The International Market
The Muar Furniture Chamber of Commerce will further lead its members towards better opportunities in the international arena-breaking market berries, building comprehensive networks, improving product quality, fuelling creativity and innovation, and strengthening competitiveness of member. With joint efforts, the Chamber is poised to build a good name into the Malaysia into one of the most outstanding and admired furniture manufacturing nations in the world.
In an effort to place Muar furniture manufacturers into international arena, the Muar Furniture Chamber of Commerce has organized numerous expositions which include the "1990 Furniture Exposition", "Johor Furniture Exposition 1992", and "Muar Furniture Overseas Exposition 1994". The expositions may be at state level, but they have no doubt widen business scope and elevated the growth of the furniture industry in Muar whereby many manufacturers responded in a shift in operation from their original locations to industrial estates such as the Pagoh Industrial Estate, Bukit Pasir Industrial Estate, Bakri Industrial Estate, Parit Jamil Industrial Estate and Tanjong Agas Industrial Estate. These manufacturers have also grabbed the opportunity of marketing their products directly, thus eliminating middle parties as well as bringing the Muar furniture industry to international level
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