Bleak is the future of my Kongsi

My clan association is so small that we couldn't get a quorum for an annual general meeting last week.

Therefore, we had to convene one again this week at the same time and place. Again there was no quorum. However, our Kongsi's Constitution allowed us to continue with the meeting and make decisions postponed from the week before.

Although I am glad that the AGM went ahead, I shouldn't be too happy with it. I foresee that this will continue to be a problem for the Kongsi for years to come. Have the clan associations outlived their usefulness?

I've a friend that opined that the survival of the clan associations would depend greatly by parts played by the existing members, exposing their children to join as members for continuation and subsequent managing the association's affairs. If there is no new membership, and with demise of the old, lack of interest by the young, no association can continue with their perpetual existence over time. This, he said,  was a problem facing most clan associations today. The only solutions are to get the younger generation's involvement and constant membership drive.

I couldn't agree more. However in today's world, it is rather difficult for the clan associations to answer the simple question posed by would-be members and which is, "what's in it for me?" And you know, in a moment of optimism about three months ago, I did mention to one of my fellow clansmen that I did not foresee the association surviving beyond the next 50 years. Upon reflection, it may even end sooner!