Source: Asian Beacon
Date: October Issue
Death is something inevitable in life. We all have experienced the departure of a loved one—an immediate family member, relative, friend or acquaintance. \
When faced with such a loss, we each react in different ways to cope with our grief. But ultimately one thing remains —we yearn and strive to provide a dignified and beautiful send-off for our departed loved one.
Undoubtedly the pace of our local funeral industry is fast picking up with the emergence of many funeral homes today, but some provide more services than others. Xiao En is one such funeral service and bereavement care provider that has distinctively set itself apart from the rest.
Xiao En offers a wide range of packages to suit the needs of Malaysia's unique multi-cultural, multi-religious population. But what undoubtedly gives it that extra edge is its corporate philosophy which is the foundation of the entire business, from management style to employee relations to the products and services provided.
Unlike other service providers which emphasises the bottom line, Xiao En's corporate philosophy is influenced by culture and tradition: filial piety and gratitude for the sacrifices made by one's family and predecessors play a central role. Indeed, the very name of the Company—Xiao En—literally translates into ‘filial piety' (Xiao - 孝) and ‘gratitude' (En ˉ 恩).
Such values of ‘Xiao' and ‘En' form the basis of the company's commitment to help families provide a dignified sendoff and a beautiful final resting place for a departed loved one. This allows families to experience a positive closure to their loved one's life and also permits the final expression of filial piety and gratitude.
Yet, Xiao En's brand of ‘Xiao' and ‘En' is best expressed by the very people who serve in the company. Xiao En's employees set themselves apart by their positive attitude to work and their earnest desire to provide comfort and peace to the grieving family through their professional, personalised service and empathetic touch.
One man's quest
Today, Xiao En's values emerge as the core foundation of its establishment because of the relentless determination and visionary ideals of its founder, Dato' Choo Ching Hwa who firmly believed that cemeteries should be the final expression of a family's filial piety and gratitude, as well as love and respect, towards a lost loved one.
After having personally experienced the state of local cemeteries which were generally unkempt, cold, crowded and located in remote, difficult-to-reach areas, he embarked on a worldwide survey of memorial parks in an effort to bring improvement to existing burial sites.
After years of hard work, Dato' Choo unveiled Malaysia's first, private memorial park in 1991. The Nilai Memorial Park combined Western contemporary designs and planning, with traditional architecture and landscaping of the East, in ways never seen before in the country.
The Nilai Memorial Park revolutionised the industry and was soon adopted by other players. However, Xiao En has managed to retain its edge by diversification, providing other funeral and bereavement care services based on its foundational values of filial piety and gratitude.
Dato' Choo's legacy has been passed on to his children, Frank Choo Chuo Siong, Keng Choo Cheng Siong and Nancy Choo Yuen Sze, who today run the company with the same determined passion of their father. Dato' Choo's widow, Datin Choo Lein Sei Keng is the Chairman of the Company.
The Xiao En business
The Xiao En business is made up of four primary entities:
1. Memorial Parks
Nilai Memorial Park is strategically located in Nilai. The park is accessible from Kuala Lumpur (30 minutes away), Seremban (30 minutes away) and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (20 minutes away). Its location ensures that families and visitors will have a smooth and hassle-free journey free from frustrating traffic jams.
Melaka Memorial Park, established in 2001, is jointly owned by the Melaka Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Xiao En.
Both parks were carefully conceptualised after in-depth research and consultation with religious experts to meet the unique needs and cultures of every major religion in Malaysia, including Christianity. Developed to provide an atmosphere of serenity and respect, the parks have burial plots and columbariums set in well-kept, beautifully landscaped gardens.
2. Xiao En Centre
The Xiao En Centre is a multi-storey complex which contains multiple halls and function rooms for the purpose of funeral and memorial services, as well as other community activities such as exhibitions, forums and cultural programmes. Adopting a contemporary architectural style, the complex is spacious and well-lit. It maximises the use of natural light and ventilation to provide visitors a sense of comfort and warmth.
3. Xiao En Bereavement Care
The service arm of Xiao En Group, Xiao En Bereavement Care offers personalised bereavement packages that cater to the needs of different faiths and socio-economic backgrounds. Services, ranging from funerary arrangements to memorial services, are overseen by experienced funeral directors to ensure accuracy, authenticity and fulfillment of all the necessary rituals.
4. Xiao En Cultural Foundation
An independent, non-profit, culturalbased organisation that supports and promotes humanity-based developments, academic research and cultural
exchange in the Asia Pacific region established by Xiao En Group in 2001.
Ultimately, Xiao En is dedicated to providing comfort and peace of mind to families who have lost a loved one. By removing the burden of managing a funeral, it allows them to focus on their grief.
|
|
|
