Well, there's no easy solution to this. I can offer only my opinion. Perhaps during the next AGM, it'll be easier to gather more feedback from more people?
The problem that I see is that once a Malay (for e.g.) chapter is formed, what would it mean? What purpose would it actually serve? Networking perhaps? But this already can be done without the need for any official segmentation. Would this mean that only Malays will have access to shooting Malay weddings? Or Chinese can only shoot Chinese weddings? What if a person, due to mixed-marriage/mixed parentage wants to shoot both?
Maybe one way we can approach this discussion is to flesh out exactly why we need several race-based chapters. What are the benefits, and who will benefit from this? There may yet be logical and pragmatic reasons behind this, and if that is the case, then having such chapters may actually be justified. It's just that, from my own perspective, I can find no positive or real reasons to support the need for establishing such chapters.
You may be reading too much and overly concern, I do not know too. Itll be up to the chapter to evolve on a fair play and to follow the rules of WPAS. There will be benefits and it can only be achieved with hard work. Dont expect to form a Chapter and rest back and enjoy, it doesnt work this way. As of now, we would only work on one Malay Chapter, not several.
Just out of curiosity and not totally irrelevant - how many members are there in the WPAS?
By the time you subdivide it further, what do you end up with? Is it a number which is meaningful?
Would it not work better for the common good to formulate actions which can better build the cohesiveness of the association instead of one which may potentially polarise members further?
WPAS has 40+ members and a couple of Malay Brothers. We should eventually reach 100 to be effective and better funded.
If i read this correctly, what you're saying is that by dividing WPAS into chapters by racial lines, we are uniting?
Maybe i'm slow - but i can't see the logic of it all. Why can't the unity be done without dividing along racial lines?
thinking your thoughts through isn't procrastination - someone wise has said - there are ramifications.
Hurray if unity results, but what if the opposite holds true?
It is very common for Associations and organizations having chapters and groupings for various interests. It would be better managed, more focus and commitment.
A classic example would be the SCCCI, they have groupings and interests polarized into Teochew, Cantonese, Hakka, etc
Unlike sub-committees that look after functions like PR, Recruiting, D&D, etc,.
When I started this poll, Im mindful of the sensitivities along racial line and religious taboos. Since these issues are already existence, why not face it with an open mind?
Maybe you can call it malay weddings chapter , chinese weddings chapter , hindu weddings chapter, sikh wedding chapter, jewish wedding chapter, christian wedding chapter. Then race of the photographer not impt , but they need to understand the complexities of each type of wedding. I know a bit hard but it will be better in the long run. I mean you can have malays doing lion dance etc , so it is entirely possible to have a chinese covering a malay wedding.
As we can see by now, theres no interest in a Chinese Chapter with 8 against the idea. But 12 polled for a Malay Chapter with 5 Nos. It will be up to the interested group to push for their interests and create an identidy and perhaps reinforce the customary practice of Malay weddings.
We see the Chinese weddings evolving to torturing the groom, the mix of western practice of cakes and champagne, the Pernarakans vanishing rituals. We have a mixed culture, or are we are losing our traditions?
A wedding photog is tasked to catch the moments, knowledge of the various procceeding would be a strength and a major consideration in appointing one. Ive been printing lots of coffee table books for Malay photogs for Chinese, Chinese Photogs for Indian weddings, etc,. Malay Lion dance, no.
If there are Sikh, Jewish, etc, groupings coming forward, we should look into it as a multi-racial country. Im neutral on this issue too, Im just facilitating.