Monday, August 08, 2011
Off the cuff (1)
It was a quiet cold night in Perth that I dropped by a Malaysian restaurant ‘Sri Melaka’ to have dinner. This was way back around 1990 while I was still in medical school. On another table was the late Ghafar Baba whom I instantly recognized and walked over and greeted him. The former deputy PM was friendly, accepted my handshake and quipped that I must return to Malaysia and serve ‘country’, and of course it meant little to me as I left Malaysia after Primary 3.
Went home I did after 16 years in Australia. I remember those days my dad kept reiterating that there are more career opportunities in Malaysia. Back then, most of my peers came back to Malaysia except those who studied medicine. Today many parents are encouraging their children to stay back upon graduation. It is difficult to say whether we would have been better off had we remained in Australia. I certainly had the option.
In recent years I have been saying farewell to quite a number of friends who have migrated in the other direction because of their children’s’ education. Whether the sacrifice they made for the kids will bear fruit, who knows? Even more drastic those whom have the means are sending their kids to private schools in Malaysia, a clear rejection of our education system. Even odder, Malays are sending their kids to vernacular Chinese schools citing better discipline amongst other qualities. So I guess there is nothing for me to lament in missing out on Malaysian education. Dad sent me away at the age of 9.
When I returned to Malaysia with my medical degree I pondered as to which high-security, bank-rolling profession deserved me. I eventually joined the pharmaceutical industry only to find that there was no security in employment in a modern capitalistic environment, rather only ‘employability’ as the MNCs I worked for were always merging or being acquired. To remain employable I had to be on top of my game and be able to add value each day I turned up work. Previous achievements counted for little and my superiors were shifted from one continent to another.
Then my business career began. My dreams of a money-minting business were shattered in the early days after initial failures. I didn’t have anyone to guide or mentor me. All the sermons of imminent success and that I cannot fail because Jesus was my CEO left my thinking. Pastor had preached slogans like ‘minimum effort, maximum return’; ‘thou shall not sweat’; and 100-fold blessing from what we gave. But instead there was nothing but misery, dryness and lots of effort but no return. The only friends I had that did minimal and harvested plentiful were friends doing illegal empat ekor or had fathers who were either multi-millionaires, state EXCO members or cabinet ministers.
Banks only lend money willingly to those in a way don’t need it. Besides money from parents and bank loans with properties as collateral, I got on with business and life despite setbacks. Our applications for grants from bodies like SMIDEC and MARTRADE were not that fruitful. It is not easy to get started any business these days as entry cost and barriers are increasing each year and to say the least so is the competition in any field of business. Each year I find it harder and harder to register products in Malaysia with the MOH and glad that I already have over 20 products registered. To start from the beginning NOW would be daunting and a definite non starter as far as I am concerned in a stagnant market.
I cannot but look objectively where my new wave of excitement will come from and where to live my dreams, yes disciplined dreaming, not just wishful thinking. Without dreams I might as well be dead. The poorest man ain’t the guy with no money, but the one with no dreams, no vision. There can be deep ambitions within, but ones needs an arena to live his dream through planning, building the right foundations, being strategic, and hardworking.
People often gauge the arena of a country by acronyms like PEST, STEER, STEEPLE and the lot. But what can we see of Malaysia for now and the near road ahead?
POLITICS and The ECONOMY
I have gone beyond deep theoretical jargon and analysis of sorts. There may be no perfect form of government to administer a country, though a rhetoric US President may convince you that they have closest to the ideal. But they ought to look at problems in their own backyard with the sluggish economy, and recent near default by the US Federal Treasury. Surely, a nation that is borrowing more and more from the rest of the world cannot have got everything right. It was only a few years ago the Bush administration had to do a massive and unprecedented bailout of the banking and financial system. But I still think that they are the most advanced nation on earth be it technology, management, engineering and the sciences. This is because they use the best of the best talents regardless of race or religion, which has not been the case in Malaysia. I am speaking from my own experience having worked for US companies and seen the head quarters of Abbott in Chicago where it is like a mini-United Nations. We on the other hand have a hemorrhagic brain drain problem and only a dearth of talent coming back despite the efforts of Talent Corp (http://www.talentcorp.com.my).
If America represents democracy in its sublime form, then what is China? Marxism? Communism? I am not entirely sure. When I was back in Grade 8 I had to read the book “Animal Farm”. Yes early days communist China had most of those traits in the satirical fable like corruption, ignorance, indifference, greed and wickedness but its model is evolving. It has its own model which I am still learning. And it is a model that is revolved and keeps adapting to ensure the government remains relevant and deliver to the masses. The ‘Middle kingdom’ was the most advanced, powerful and prosperous nation on earth centuries ago when the West was still infant in much areas. Yes, China today is the world’s most exciting economy, yet there are many aspects of the country that are still wanting. The West condemns its poor human rights record; many of the rural regions are still relatively poor by any standards and sometimes with the smog in my face I can’t help but think that the Pollution Index may have exceeded the Shenzen Composite Index. But what is has going right is that domestic consumption will spur the economy the years ahead. The reported Q2 GDP growth of 9.5% was above forecast. But the Chinese work hard and all desire to be rich. There is definitely ‘fire in the belly’ amongst the young generation.
I worry for our younger generation. Education in Malaysia now big business, with degrees being traded like a commodity, students being processed in many unreputable if not dubious institutions to be given a piece of paper, Even worse is the quality of jobs that awaits them. Without meaningful and good on the work training, how far can they develop? Most SMIs are struggling and investments are heading off-shore, not in-shore. The GLCs are not optimally run and in either case promotion is based along racial lines. Foreign Direct Investments is scarce despite our Mustapha Mohamed saying FDI will exceed RM30 billion in 2011. Some friends are saying it is just illicit political money being channeled back in to beef up those figures. This is plausible for 2 reasons; (1) A report by Washington-based financial watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI) found that Malaysia’s ILLICIT outflows tripled from US$22.2 billion in 2002 to a staggering US$68.2 billion in 2008, (2) you don’t see big pages of newspaper advertisements to “CONGRATULATE” new starts up or factories like in the early 90s.
to be continued --- lots on mind but must find time to pen down.
Went home I did after 16 years in Australia. I remember those days my dad kept reiterating that there are more career opportunities in Malaysia. Back then, most of my peers came back to Malaysia except those who studied medicine. Today many parents are encouraging their children to stay back upon graduation. It is difficult to say whether we would have been better off had we remained in Australia. I certainly had the option.
In recent years I have been saying farewell to quite a number of friends who have migrated in the other direction because of their children’s’ education. Whether the sacrifice they made for the kids will bear fruit, who knows? Even more drastic those whom have the means are sending their kids to private schools in Malaysia, a clear rejection of our education system. Even odder, Malays are sending their kids to vernacular Chinese schools citing better discipline amongst other qualities. So I guess there is nothing for me to lament in missing out on Malaysian education. Dad sent me away at the age of 9.
When I returned to Malaysia with my medical degree I pondered as to which high-security, bank-rolling profession deserved me. I eventually joined the pharmaceutical industry only to find that there was no security in employment in a modern capitalistic environment, rather only ‘employability’ as the MNCs I worked for were always merging or being acquired. To remain employable I had to be on top of my game and be able to add value each day I turned up work. Previous achievements counted for little and my superiors were shifted from one continent to another.
Then my business career began. My dreams of a money-minting business were shattered in the early days after initial failures. I didn’t have anyone to guide or mentor me. All the sermons of imminent success and that I cannot fail because Jesus was my CEO left my thinking. Pastor had preached slogans like ‘minimum effort, maximum return’; ‘thou shall not sweat’; and 100-fold blessing from what we gave. But instead there was nothing but misery, dryness and lots of effort but no return. The only friends I had that did minimal and harvested plentiful were friends doing illegal empat ekor or had fathers who were either multi-millionaires, state EXCO members or cabinet ministers.
Banks only lend money willingly to those in a way don’t need it. Besides money from parents and bank loans with properties as collateral, I got on with business and life despite setbacks. Our applications for grants from bodies like SMIDEC and MARTRADE were not that fruitful. It is not easy to get started any business these days as entry cost and barriers are increasing each year and to say the least so is the competition in any field of business. Each year I find it harder and harder to register products in Malaysia with the MOH and glad that I already have over 20 products registered. To start from the beginning NOW would be daunting and a definite non starter as far as I am concerned in a stagnant market.
I cannot but look objectively where my new wave of excitement will come from and where to live my dreams, yes disciplined dreaming, not just wishful thinking. Without dreams I might as well be dead. The poorest man ain’t the guy with no money, but the one with no dreams, no vision. There can be deep ambitions within, but ones needs an arena to live his dream through planning, building the right foundations, being strategic, and hardworking.
People often gauge the arena of a country by acronyms like PEST, STEER, STEEPLE and the lot. But what can we see of Malaysia for now and the near road ahead?
POLITICS and The ECONOMY
I have gone beyond deep theoretical jargon and analysis of sorts. There may be no perfect form of government to administer a country, though a rhetoric US President may convince you that they have closest to the ideal. But they ought to look at problems in their own backyard with the sluggish economy, and recent near default by the US Federal Treasury. Surely, a nation that is borrowing more and more from the rest of the world cannot have got everything right. It was only a few years ago the Bush administration had to do a massive and unprecedented bailout of the banking and financial system. But I still think that they are the most advanced nation on earth be it technology, management, engineering and the sciences. This is because they use the best of the best talents regardless of race or religion, which has not been the case in Malaysia. I am speaking from my own experience having worked for US companies and seen the head quarters of Abbott in Chicago where it is like a mini-United Nations. We on the other hand have a hemorrhagic brain drain problem and only a dearth of talent coming back despite the efforts of Talent Corp (http://www.talentcorp.com.my).
If America represents democracy in its sublime form, then what is China? Marxism? Communism? I am not entirely sure. When I was back in Grade 8 I had to read the book “Animal Farm”. Yes early days communist China had most of those traits in the satirical fable like corruption, ignorance, indifference, greed and wickedness but its model is evolving. It has its own model which I am still learning. And it is a model that is revolved and keeps adapting to ensure the government remains relevant and deliver to the masses. The ‘Middle kingdom’ was the most advanced, powerful and prosperous nation on earth centuries ago when the West was still infant in much areas. Yes, China today is the world’s most exciting economy, yet there are many aspects of the country that are still wanting. The West condemns its poor human rights record; many of the rural regions are still relatively poor by any standards and sometimes with the smog in my face I can’t help but think that the Pollution Index may have exceeded the Shenzen Composite Index. But what is has going right is that domestic consumption will spur the economy the years ahead. The reported Q2 GDP growth of 9.5% was above forecast. But the Chinese work hard and all desire to be rich. There is definitely ‘fire in the belly’ amongst the young generation.
I worry for our younger generation. Education in Malaysia now big business, with degrees being traded like a commodity, students being processed in many unreputable if not dubious institutions to be given a piece of paper, Even worse is the quality of jobs that awaits them. Without meaningful and good on the work training, how far can they develop? Most SMIs are struggling and investments are heading off-shore, not in-shore. The GLCs are not optimally run and in either case promotion is based along racial lines. Foreign Direct Investments is scarce despite our Mustapha Mohamed saying FDI will exceed RM30 billion in 2011. Some friends are saying it is just illicit political money being channeled back in to beef up those figures. This is plausible for 2 reasons; (1) A report by Washington-based financial watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI) found that Malaysia’s ILLICIT outflows tripled from US$22.2 billion in 2002 to a staggering US$68.2 billion in 2008, (2) you don’t see big pages of newspaper advertisements to “CONGRATULATE” new starts up or factories like in the early 90s.
to be continued --- lots on mind but must find time to pen down.
