MFA ISSUE PREVIEW

天时地利？

运输港口？

原产材料？

VOYAG THE MUAR FURNITURE ASSOCIATION

麻坡家具同业商会启航

左上图 为1984年的第一家会所(位于阿都拉曼路)

左下图 为1998年的第二家会所(位于峇吉里)

风雨四十载 领航创新章

启航 麻坡家具同业商会

麻坡并没有天时地利，没有运输港口的外在优势，更 没有原产材料的资源，陈泉春知道要把麻坡家具行 业做得更好，唯有“人和“。早在1982年，其他县市早 已成立家具公商会，唯独麻坡尚未拥有自己的商会

。在陈泉春的号召下，将一盘散沙的同业组织起来， 成立了麻坡家私同业公会（Muar Furniture Council） 。当时候会员仅仅30多家，而与家具行业有关的辅助 工业，如机械、五金、原料生产的商 家，都能加入商 会。

首任会长陈泉春认为需要一个场所凝聚商会的会员， 所以他于会员大会中提议购置会所。然而投票结果为 七对七的平票，最终交由会长的决定，通过这项动 议。由于此时的商会处于草创阶段，并没有大量的储 备资金，通过这项动议后，会员们纷纷付出一份力， 在会员大会结束后就筹得5万零吉。而另外5万零吉由 众会员对外的筹款，发起募捐，一家一家家具厂游说 拜访。最终在大家的力挺下，于短短的几个月间最终 筹获 10 万零吉，购置了于麻坡阿都拉曼路的会所。

随着商会的成立，麻坡家具同业商会在团结同业力 量、凝聚同业共识方面，扮演着极其重要的角色：保 护同 业的利益、调解一些同业之间的纠纷。除了带领 同业从传统手艺逐步走向机械化生产，也在政府与同 业会员之间扮演调剂者。陈泉春在任期间曾向有关当 局提案，申请规划工业地让非法地业者有个合法的做 法；也曾向原产部提出禁止对外出口一些国内常用的 原木料，以确保家具同业能有稳定的原木料的供给。

为求商会有更广泛的作用，寻求更多、更广的商业 契机，麻坡家私同业公会（Muar Furniture Council） 于1998年正式易名为麻坡家具同业商会（Muar Furniture Association）。同年，商会以这十余年累积下

的积蓄，耗资120万零吉打造麻坡峇吉里三层楼新会

所。在这座新会所内，设有资讯中心、图书馆、资料 室。

推动麻坡家具走向国际舞台

受访者 陈泉春 撰写 高宇心

THE TRADITIONAL ARTISAN

一种米养百种人，

一条麻河孕育无数的麻坡人

早期的麻坡家具 传统手艺的精粹

DAWN

DAWN

THE TRADITIONAL ARTISAN

Before the 1960s, the Chinese immigrants who arrived in Muar due to the Kangchu system primarily engaged in agriculture for their livelihood. Industrialization was not widespread during that time, and limited agricultural land restricted job opportunities in the farming sector. As a result, many young people sought employment in larger cities like Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.

Due to the lack of career opportunities in Muar, Tan Chuan Choon also left for Singapore in pursuit of a prominent future. Tan Chuan Choon moved back to Muar in 1976 after spending 14 years working in Singapore’s construction sector. Most of his brothers were already working in the furniture industry, so Tan Chuan Choon entered the field after them.

In its early days, the furniture industry resembled traditional craftsmanship, where skilled carpenters possessed refined skills but faced unstable incomes. Furniture purchases were mainly made during the festive seasons, creating a seasonal demand. Consumers had two options to acquire furniture: buying from furniture stores or commissioning custom-made furniture from carpenters. “Early furniture manufacturers were passive and could only produce according to orders

placed by furniture stores,” Tan Chuan Choon recalls. The design, variety, quantity, and price of furniture were all in favour of the influential furniture stores preference.

Early furniture was made as a single object and could not be disassembled. As a result, moving furniture required the use of a trishaw, which presented transportation issues. Only one piece of larger furniture could move at a time, so one or two staff members had to push it to the furniture store. Furniture will be painted according to market demands upon reaching the store to prevent surface damage during transportation.

After travelling to numerous locations, Tan Chuan Choon came up with the idea of assembling the furniture, manufacturing and transporting it separately, and installing it upon sale. The advent of “assembled furniture” resulted in much higher sales, time and space savings during transit, and effectively reduced defects caused by packaging issues. However, before becoming successful, this concept suffered from several failures. Sales have increased since using the “component assembly” production approach, inspiring many business owners in the sector to imitate it. The Muar furniture industry seized a golden opportunity.

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Translate Er Hwee Ting

风雨四十载 领航创新章

家具木的转型： 橡胶木的抬头

橡胶产量占世界的总量约30%

橡胶 木

马来西亚是橡胶木出产国之一，80年代马来西亚的天 然橡胶产量占世界的总量约30%。早期全国各地广泛 的橡胶种植园，在取完胶汁的橡胶木，大部分直接砍 伐焚烧。当取完胶汁的橡胶木被发现在经过防腐和加 工后，非常适合做成家具，特别是其材质坚硬、花纹 美观、色泽均匀，且触感十分光滑，身价增涨，也成 为了家具业的“新宠“。

极富远见及胆识的麻坡家具业前辈，善用橡胶木资源 优势，开拓橡胶木加工产业，达致自供自给，把家具 行业带动起来，也成功让麻坡家具产品冲出马来西

亚，进军国际。在家具同业商会重组之后，北征南下 造访不同国家进行交流后，借助遍布橡胶林的马来西

亚具有原材料“就地取材“的优势，第二任麻坡家具同 业商会会长黄世文，从日本引进了木材烘干先进技术

与设备，开设麻坡首间家具烘房，并聘请台湾工程师

为本地员工进行教育培训，与兄弟负责生产橡木家具 出口，开启以麻坡研发生产的橡胶木原料。这项大胆

的尝试，开创了麻坡家具业，以橡胶木取代热带木制 作家具的先河，引领了麻坡家具行业从纯手工艺走向 工业化，拓展出口，开创家具出口至全世界，将麻坡 家具业的发展带动另一个转捩点。

“经过锯断处理的橡胶木，为确保其品质，橡胶木得 浸泡药水两小时后，置放虫粉防虫蛀。随后叠起进 烘房进行12天至1个月时间的烘干。这些原料皆须繁 密且严谨的过程。“

经本地研究、防腐和加工处理的 橡胶木，成为了优质的原材料，不仅符合环保原则， 且可以制作美观耐用的家具，品质更是深受欧美、澳 洲、日本、新加坡等国家消费者的欢迎。

“橡胶木可以生产乳胶，树龄达25年后能被用做家 具，一物二用，经济效益很高。“ 当年，一些睿智又 有远见的家具先辈勇敢拓展上游企业，提供橡胶木原 料给厂商，加大助麻坡家具业“加速跑“，不断创新与 发展。　麻坡家具行业先驱业者许坤泉与伙伴于1990

受访者 黄世文 | 许坤泉 撰写 刘美娇

Koh Kun Chuan and his partners established Sern Kou Furniture Industries Sdn Bhd in the 1990s. They acquired an enormous amount of rubberwood and utilised advanced machinery and technology for wood drying and sawing, supplying both external furniture manufacturers and their own factory.

Koh Kun Chuan attributed the rise of the Muar furniture industry to the region’s affordable rubberwood resources, coupled with technology and expertise brought in from Taiwan and Japan, resulting in relatively lower overall costs. However, furniture made from rubberwood is not necessarily cheap. Treated and dried rubberwood, with its subtle colour, distinct wood grain, and sturdy texture, has always been a sought-after furniture choice. In recent years, the reduction in rubberwood supply and shortage of foreign labor have become significant challenges for furniture industry players. To address these challenges, furniture businesses are striving for continuous product innovation and gradually shifting towards neighboring countries like Thailand to source wood materials.

“Nowadays, there are fewer workers available for rubber tapping, and most rubber plantations are located in Kelantan, where they hire Thai workers for rubber tapping. In other states, including Johor, rubber plantation replanting is becoming a rare sight, due to which it is not economically viable.”

However, rubberwood is at risk of cracking if it is harvested before it reaches the age of 25. To ensure quality, manufacturers insist on using mature trees. However, rubber trees require a long period to grow, and logging activities are restricted during the rainy season at year-end. This often leads to a shortage of wood supply in the furniture market. With the rising costs, the furniture industry continues to engage in research and development and continuous breakthroughs to upgrade their products, transitioning from low-end to mid-range and high-end segments. This is essential progress to seize a bigger portion in the industry to compete with rivals and consolidate Muar’s position as Malaysia furniture hub.

RUBBER LATEX

TRANSFORMATION

THE RISE OF RUBBERWOOD

Malaysia, being one of the rubberwoodproducing countries, accounted for approximately 30% of the world’s total natural rubber production in the 1980s. In the past, after extracting latex from rubberwood, most of it was directly cut down and burned. However, it was eventually found that rubberwood that had been processed and treated after the latex had been extracted was excellent for making furniture.Because of its sturdiness, beautiful appearance, and smooth texture, it has become known as the top option in the furniture sector.

The pioneers of the Muar furniture industry capitalised on the advantage of rubberwood resources and developed the rubberwood processing industry to achieve selfsufficiency. They successfully propelled Muar furniture products beyond Malaysia’s borders and ventured into the international market. Second President of MFA, Eng Say Teng, imported advanced wood drying technology and equipment from Japan. Who established the first furniture drying facility in Muar and hired Taiwanese engineers to provide professional training to local workers. With this initiative, Muar began to produce and export oak furniture using locally developed rubberwood materials.The Muar furniture industry transformed from traditional

handicraft to industrialisation and along the path of exports by this bold initiative, which pioneered the utilisation of rubberwood as a substitute for tropical hardwood in furniture production.

According to  Eng Say Teng, sawn rubberwood must first be treated with an insecticide to avoid infestation before being immersed in a preservative solution for two hours to ensure its quality. It is then dried in the kiln for a period ranging from 12 days to one month. These materials undergo a meticulous and stringent process.” Through research, preservation, and processing of rubberwood, the material has become a premium resource that not only adheres to environmental principles but also enables the production of aesthetically pleasing and durable furniture. Its quality has gained popularity among consumers in Europe, America, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and other countries.

Rubber latex may be used to make items made of latex, and rubberwood can be used to make furniture once it reaches the age of 25, both of which have significant economic advantages.In the early days, some wise and visionary furniture pioneers also ventured into upstream enterprises by providing rubberwood materials to manufacturers.

Unasylva - No. 201 - Teak

Translate Er Hwee Ting

于1987年及1989年成功 举办了针对国内买家的展览会

CONQUERED

FROM KAMPUNG CHAMPION TO WORLD CLASS PLAYER

傲人的家具出口 冲出 国际

ASSOCIATE VOYAG

THE MUAR FURNITURE ASSOCIATION

In the early stages of developing the furniture industry in Muar, there were no transportation advantages or abundant resources available.

The Muar Furniture Council (MFC) was founded in 1982 by Tan Chuan Choon after he recognized that cooperation was the key to developing the Muar furniture sector. At the time, there were only around 30 member companies, and any business related to the furniture industry, such as machinery, hardware, and raw material suppliers, could join the association.

Tan Chuan Choon, the association’s first president, understood the necessity for a dedicated location to bring its members together. As a result, he suggested acquiring a clubhouse at a general assembly meeting. Despite the early stages of the association having minimal financial means, the vote to buy a clubhouse narrowly passed in the motion. The members embarked on fundraising efforts, reaching out to furniture factories and collecting donations. In just a few months, they raised hundred thousand ringgit and acquired a clubhouse on Jalan Abdullah Rahman in Muar.

With the establishment of the association, the MFA played a crucial role in bringing together business forces and encouraging unity among its members. It defended the industry’s advantages and resolved conflicts with furniture proprietors. The MFA not only led the industry’s transition from traditional craftsmanship to mechanised production but also acted as an intermediary between the government and its members. During Tan Chuan Choon’s tenure, he proposed initiatives to legitimise illegal businesses by requesting industrial land in government council planning. He also advocated for the restriction of exporting certain commonly used domestic timbers, ensuring a stable supply of timber for the furniture industry.

The Muar Furniture Council formally changed its name to the Muar Furniture Association in 1998 in order to widen its scope and look for bigger economic prospects. With the fund accumulated through the past decade, MFA invested RM 1.2 million to build a new threestory headquarters in Bakri, Muar. There are amenities including an information center, library, and resource room within the new headquarters.

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1987年于麻坡举办第一次的展览会

聚集家具同业的展览会

麻坡家具同业商会秉持前瞻性视野，汲取其他产业在 其他城镇的成功案例，从中意识到举办展览会聚集相 关的上、中、下游的同行业者。于是1987年在麻坡 开创举办大型家具展览会的先河，然后于1989年至 1994年间，先是针对国内买家举办的家具展览，后是 走出麻坡、走出柔佛的家具外销展览会，自此正式推 动麻坡家具走向国际舞台。

开办展览会的初步无法取得广大同业认同参与，但两 次对国内买家的展览会皆取得鼓舞的成绩，紧接着参

与单位愈加扩大，展览会更具规模。来到1990年，麻 坡家具商会再创高峰，通过举办麻坡家具展正式开拓 国际市场，协助同业搭上出口列车。根据记录，麻坡 家具同业商会也在隔年全力推动，并以总会名义举办 针对国内买家展览会。1992年的家具展览会晋升为州 际性展览会，即柔州家具展，成绩傲人，备受关注。

麻坡家具同业商会秉持前瞻性视野，带领同业从传 统手工逐步走向机械化生产，在成立短短5年后，于 1987年在麻坡开创举办大型家具展览会的先河，自此 正式推动马来西亚家具走向国际舞台。

随后以马来西亚家具总会的名义，于

1987、1989、1991年举办了国内家

参展商于展览会上向买家展示产品

风雨四十载 领航创新章

分

“那个年代所生产的家具只能内销，有小部分能分 销至新加坡，那时候麻坡家具的收入其实也非常有 限。“ 在麻坡家具同业商会成立以后，接获棒子的第 二任会长黄世文与理事们南征北伐，到不同的地方甚 至不同的领域进行考察，汲取其他同行或是异业的经 验。

新加坡是最初考察的重镇，虽然新加坡不是以发展家 具业为重心，但地理优势占优的新加坡是繁华的金融 贸易中心，亦是情报、商业讯息的汇集地。经过到各 地考察之后，理事们决定在麻坡举办家具展览会，在 获得同业支持力量，于1987年及1989年成功举办了针 对国内买家的展览会。

在展览会上除了能汇聚同业厂家，提供国内买家采购

平台的便利，亦能为家具厂家招揽到订单，随即麻坡

家具同业商会在1990年主办麻坡家具展，并于1992

年拓展至主办柔佛家具展。随着一次次展览会的成

功，家具业的订单获得提升，也随着引进国外技术及 机器，渐渐从纯手工艺走向半机械化，注重好品质的 麻坡家具业逐渐扩大生意版图。接着于1994年专班 麻坡家具外销展览会，正式将麻坡的家具品牌，冲出 国际。麻坡家具同业商会理事发挥同心协力精神，团 结一心推动展销会，让展销会一再扩大，拥有骄人成 绩，随后交由总会承办展会，取得更丰硕的成果。

“在大马能取得橡胶木原料，而业者也大胆突破，掌 握木材烘干新技术，在具备这数项优势下，我们需要 通过汇集代理人、介绍人、外国买家等的展销会这个 重要的平台，把麻坡优良品质的家具能在有量且能长 期供货的情况下，外销至全世界。这才能确保行业稳 健成长。“

随着国内市场的日趋增长，外加上一次次成功的家具 外销展览会，让外国家具商渐渐留意到麻坡的家具， 使得麻坡家具搭上出口这趟列车。同时惠及家具相关 行业如五金、瓦片、玻璃、纸箱、镜子及油漆等，麻 坡各行各业受惠动起来，共同组成强大的产业链。

马来西亚家具业涉足全球160多个国家，甚至在20022004年登上亚洲第二大家具出口国，麻坡家具业为国 家生产总值贡献不少。 90年代之后，世界的总贸易

量以平均两倍于世界经济增长的速度增加，市场全球 化的成都不段地在增高。这也提供了麻坡家具业往蓬 勃发展一个好的机会点。进入21世纪之后马来西亚家 具业产值达85亿零吉，其中40%来自麻坡这个小镇。 更于2017年马来西亚家具业产值突破100亿零吉，自 此马来西亚的家具在全世界占有重要的一席之地。

受访者 黄世文 撰写 刘美娇

THE BEGINNINGS OF INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

MUAR FURNITURE INDUSTRY AND FURNITURE EXHIBITIONS

拥有宽阔的国际观，是开创

海外出口生意的必须条件

览 会

MIFF

In the following years, EFE continually explored various venues, settling at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) in 2009. The exhibition organizers strived to make each EFE better, providing a comfortable environment for exhibitors to showcase their products and creating a positive experience for buyers from around the world.

Subsequently, EFE’s scale grew each year, stepping closer to becoming an international event. In 2012, issues arose when inexperienced members wer inserted to the exhibition organizing committee by the Malaysian Furniture Council, posing risks to the interests of long-time EFE exhibitors. After failed attempts at inserted reconciliation and failed communication, MFA decided to withdraw from EFE and partnered with UBM to jointly organize the Malaysia International Furniture Fair (MIFF) at the Malaysia Trade and Exhibition Centre (MECC). MIFF gained access to the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) upon its completion in 2019.

Initially, MFA faced misunderstandings and accusations after joining MIFF, with some mistakenly associating them with the Malaysian Furniture Council and even accusing them of fraudulent activities in the exhibition. After weathering various challenges, MAEPS clarified that the exhibition’s contract was still valid and signed by MFA. Eventually, both parties reached a resolution. Since then, MFA’s participation in exhibitions became more stable, and they continue to work with UBM to promote the Malaysia International Furniture Fair (MIFF) every year.

Edit Chua Yeow Meng Translate Er Hwee Ting

MARKET

THE JOURNEY OF MUAR FURNITURE INDUSTRY AND ORGANIZING EXHIBITIONS

LEAD THE LOCAL INDUSTRY TOWARDS THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET

After the successful inaugural exhibition in 1987, the Muar Furniture Association (MFA) took the lead in organizing subsequent exhibitions during the 1990s. Initially focused on domestic buyers, these exhibitions later expanded to cater to international furniture exports, marking MFA’s efforts to lead the local industry towards the international market and attract international buyers, earning praise and attention.

In 1999, for certain reasons, MFA collaborated with Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre (MIECC) to co-organize the Malaysian Furniture Exports Exhibition (MAFEX). This decision led to disapproval from the Malaysian Furniture Industry Council (MFIC) and relevant government agencies, as they believed MFIC should represent the industry exclusively. As a result, 13 state furniture associations came together to

form the Malaysian Furniture Entrepreneur Association (MFEA).

Over the next few years, MAFEX successfully attracted buyers from around the world, establishing itself as a gathering point for the Malaysian furniture industry. However, disagreements emerged between MFA and MIECC over the ownership of the MAFEX exhibition in 2004, with MIECC asserting that it was independently owned, while MFA claimed it was a joint ownership. Concerned about potential future disputes, MFA decided to pull itself from MAFEX and found a new venue at the Asia Pacific Auction Centre (APAC) in Subang, where they hosted the Export Furniture Exhibition (EFE) in 2005. However, just before the EFE event in 2005, MIECC applied for a court injunction to halt the exhibition. Fortunately, the court ruled in favor of MFA, and EFE proceeded as planned.

国际市场

麻坡家具同业展会 与办展会的心路历程

1987年开创先河的首次展览会获得成功之后，在90年

代期间，麻坡家具同业商会次次主办的展览会，一开 始以国内买家为主，到后来的家具外销展，从麻坡区 域出发至走向国际，商会一步步的努力，成功引领本 地同业接轨国际市场，扩大生意版图，也把国际贸易 买家招揽进来，赢得赞许和口啤，更引起各方关注。

1999年，基于一些原因，麻坡家具同业商会与隆雪同 行业者选择与MIECC马来西亚国际会展中心（Mines

International Exhibition & Convention Centre）合作， 共同承办MAFEX马来西亚家具出口展（Malaysian

Furniture Exports Exhibition）。而这一举动其实引

来MFIC马来西亚家具工业总会（Malaysian Furniture Industry Council）及相关政府单位的不满，而一众

家具业者们认为MFIC马来西亚家具工业总会不能 完全代表这个行业，于是13州属的家具公会联合成 立了MFEA马来西亚家具同业联合总会（Malaysian

Furniture Entrepreneur Association）。

随后数年，MAFEX马来西亚家具出口展成功吸引了 世界各地的买家来到马来西亚，成为了马来西亚家

西亚国际会展中心于MAFEX展览的持有权上出现分 歧，MIECC马来西亚国际会展中心认为MAFEX展览 是独立拥有的，而商会的立场为共同拥有的。基于 担忧未来合作可能会出现更多的分歧，商会决定退 出MAFEX展。并于2005年，找到了位于梳邦的新场 地APAC机场（Asia Pacific Auction Centre），主办 了EFE马来西亚国际出口家具展（Export Furniture Exhibition）。但2005年EFE出口家具展举办前夕，却 遭到MIECC马来西亚国际会展中心向法庭申请禁令， 要求EFE出口家具展不能如期举行。所幸的是在最终 判决是商会胜诉，法庭不批准禁令，EFE出口家具展 得以如期举办。

随后数年，EFE出口家具展不断地尝试场地，从2005 年至2006年在APAC飞机场、2007年至2008年于 BUKIT JALIL足球场，终于在2009年到稳定的沙登 农业博览馆MAEPS（Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang），EFE出口家具展每年力求更好的场地，尽 力将展会做到最好，让参展商有个舒服的环境展示自 家商品，让从世界各地而来的买家有个良好的参展体 验。

接下来每一年的EFE出口家具展规模越来越大，一步

步将马来西亚家具的旗帜在国际间响彻云霄。2012

年，当时马来西亚家具总会的当权派一意孤行，将 没有办展经验的会员加入展览筹划小组，一同管理 EFE出口家具展。基于这样的管理方式会对一路以

来支持EFE出口家具展的参展商带来高风险，无法 保障参展商的利益，商会在尝试沟通无果、无法达 成共识之后，毅然离开创办的EFE出口家具展。而

同年，博闻公司UBM伸出橄榄枝，给出优惠的条

件，让商会重拾信心，共同推动全马最大的国际家

具展MIFF（Malaysia International Furniture Fair） ，确保会员有更好的销售平台，推动国际业务。

自此，MFA麻坡家具同业商会随着博闻公司UBM

在马来西亚MATRAD会展中心MECC （MATRADE

Exhibition and Convention Centre） 开启了国际家具 展MIFF之旅。2019年，马来西亚国际贸易展览中心 MITEC（Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre）落成之后，国际家具展MIFF获得了首批进入 展馆的特权。

商会加入国际家具展MIFF初期，曾被大众误会与总 会闹双胞，甚至是展会欺诈的肇事者。尔后历经风波 之后，沙登农业博览馆MAEPS终做出澄清，展馆的 合同尚在有效期内，并且是由MFA麻坡家具同业商会 所签。最终双方和解。尔后商会参加的展览会日趋稳 定，每一年都会与博闻公司UBM共同推动国际家具展 MIFF。

受访者 陈文海 撰写 蔡耀铭

每一场展会都是每代人的心血，

每一届展会都是前人拼劲保留下来的精神

PERSEVERING THROUGH CHALLENGES, SAFEGUARDING OUR FURNITURE EXHIBITIONS

守护家具展会

Muar Furniture Association

38,Level1,WismaMFA, TamanTunDrIsmail1,JalanBakri, 84000Muar,JohorDarulTakzim,Malaysia.

Tel:+606-9524545/9513112

Fax:+606-9512033

Email：info@muarfurniture.org

Website:www.muarfurniture.org