he meaning of longevity and purposeful living

 

Munger is just as highly regarded as Buffett because the values they espouse have become a long-standing guide to value investors, including myself. — Reuters

It's imperative to make a conscientious effort to do good

JUST last week, we witnessed the passing of two towering figures – investing legend Charlie Munger and iconic US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

Both are centenarians, with Munger living to 99 years and Kissinger at 100 years.

Apart from their longevity, what’s remarkable about both the gentlemen was their sharp mental acumen during their ripe old age and continuous influence on society right up to their last days.

As obituaries poured in across the media, we could see their overwhelming contribution in charting the course of world history in their respective sphere of influence.

Not many people are blessed with good health that can last a century.

Incidentally, Munger and Kissinger were able to lead both long and meaningful lives.

Time is precious because life is fleeting, but from their lives, I learnt what’s most important is not solely about longevity but also a life of purpose.

Knowledge for the next generation

Most would know Warren Buffett instead of Munger. Some say their relationship is akin to Batman and Robin. However, it is important to know that Berkshire Hathaway would not be where it is today without Munger’s existence and the role he played. In the world of investment, Munger is just as highly regarded as Buffett because the values they espouse have become a long-standing guide to value investors, including myself.

Just as Benjamin Graham who came before Buffett, his book helped mould the idea of value investing for the subsequent generations. Of course, there is no example of a better student that lived out his entire lifetime based on the knowledge imparted by Graham.

The imprint left by Munger on the investing world is no less significant than Buffett. He had the hand in convincing Buffett in looking beyond the United States towards China and taking an early stake in BYD worth Us$230mil in 2008 which has since grown in value to Us$2.4bil as of October 2023.

This was among the most successful investments that Berkshire Hathaway made in recent decades delivering 10 times in returns over 15 years.

This investment is significant because BYD is not only the leading battery manufacturer in the world today, but also the largest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer in terms of volume sold in China, championing the EV supply chain and green agenda in the world’s most populous economy. Globally, BYD’S EV sales is just behind Tesla.

In Munger’s own words, “I have never helped do anything at Berkshire Hathaway that was as good as BYD and I only did it once.”

Furthermore, I respect Munger for often being willing to speak the truth even if it is contrarian to the sentiment of the day

Unlike most Americans, Munger often gave credit to China’s communist government in its effort of growing the economy, executing national policies and plans while lifting the people from hardcore poverty. Another classic example was Munger’s open criticism of cryptocurrency during its speculative rally to dizzying heights attracting much irk from the youths.

‘Tang Ping’ phenomenon

We are increasingly seeing the youth of today embark on a series of passive aggressive resistance movement which is unheard of prior to this decade.

“Tang Ping” is a Chinese slang that means lie down flat and get over the beatings, which is a direct rejection of societal pressure to achieve certain definition of success as per the norm.

Due to an entrenched culture of overworking yet not being able to achieve the desired level of achievements, youths in China opted for the “Tang Ping” way of life rather than to continue to strive.

It started getting popular during the pandemic years and was further exacerbated across social media as many struggled to achieve upward mobility in society for which they had long hoped.

In the United States, a similar counter-culture approach was observed, as those in workforce pivoted towards “quiet-quitting”.

In this case, employees of companies choose to do just enough to get by without getting fired and avoid working towards achieving their personal and companies’ goals.

While it is said this phenomenon is prevalent in developed economies and highly competitive society, in my observation, certain youth in Malaysia are welcoming such approach which can be seen in across social media feeds.

This is highly disconcerting. I do not deny the importance of enjoying life beyond pursuits of material possessions.

I also agree about valuing family time especially because life is short.

However, while time is precious, and tragedies of life are unfortunate, these premises cannot be used as the excuse to not work hard in life or to try to make living a lifetime a meaningful one.

This is especially when many good people with extraordinary talent are left undiscovered because they choose to lie low or refuse to make the effort to compete.

This will give room to foster a more elitist society, which comprises those who come from a powerful or privileged background.

Some of these people may lack virtues such as integrity or morality but they will end up ruling the world if those who come from the less fortunate background choose not to challenge the status quo and opt for “Tang Ping”. It ends up being a vicious cycle.

Finding purpose in life

The focus of today’s column is not to preach the right way of life but to offer a perspective on the ongoing phenomenon that is fast becoming popular among the youth. This affects the economic development of a nation and the progress of a dynamic society.

Everyone is entitled to live in the manner he or she chooses. It is hard to judge or pass a comment without knowing what others have been through.

Yet, finding meaning or purpose in life is more important than anything else because it will set the path of which one chooses to live for the rest of their life.

If one does not have any interest in the pursuit of monetary rewards, a career in giving back may be more fulfilling. That is why we see professions such as teachers, nurses and journalists exist.

Regardless of the path that one takes, it is imperative to make the conscientious effort to do good in whatever capacity we are.

Even as a businessman, entrepreneur or fund manager, corporate social responsibility or environmental, social and governance efforts should not be a branding initiative to win the public’s recognition.

Branding and showmanship should not be the factors that go into the thought process when choosing to do good. For an individual and a business alike, many hope to last beyond three generations.

However, it is important to remember that longevity should always come with a purpose.

Only then will it be meaningful.

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It Changed My Life: I always hire people who are better than me

It Changed My Life: I always hire people who are better than me, says Changi Airport ...

I always hire people who are better than me, says Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong .

In the background is a portrait of Singapore's prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, painted by French artist Jean-Pierre. ST Photo Kevin Lim

 Top stories from The Straits Times on Sunday, Feb 3, Singapore News ...

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In 2007, Mr Liew Mun Leong – then CEO of CapitaLand – received a staggering $20.52 million bonus for helping the property developer achieve a record profit of $2.76 billion that year.

He is a wealthy man, but wealth, he says, means nothing to him.

Now the chairman of CAG, he says he is contented with his home (a landed property in Chancery Lane) and his BMW 7 series. “But I don’t want to work on my money. I want to work on my grey matter and if possible, grow it,” he says with a chuckle.

It explains why he still holds not one, but several jobs. Besides CAG, he is chairman of Surbana Jurong.

He sits on several boards. In many ways, he says his career has been a case of opportunity and chance. “How many engineers get the opportunity to build airports? After more than two decades in the public sector, he took up the offer to steer engg and construction firm L&M Investments.... Continue Reading

Interview with Changi Airport Group's Liew Mun Leong: You've got mail - from the chairman

Mr Liew, who used to be the CEO of CapitaLand, started penning his "Sunday e-mails" back in 1998, initially for staff at the real estate giant and now at the two firms he chairs. A collection of these e-mails has been published over four volumes, with the most recent - Building People: Sunday Emails From A Chairman - now out.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Staff of Changi Airport Group and Surbana Jurong have much to glean from e-mails that their head honcho sends on Sundays to share his reflections

Wong Siew Ying

Getting a note from the boss every few weeks, extolling the virtue of pragmatism or sharing his observations on a Mount Fuji climb, is pretty rare for most employees but it has been a regular occurrence for two firms in Singapore.

Former CapitaLand chief executive Liew Mun Leong started penning his "Sunday e-mails" back in 1998, initially for staff at the real estate giant and now at the firms he chairs - Changi Airport Group and Surbana Jurong.

A collection of these e-mails has been published over four volumes, with the most recent - Building People: Sunday Emails From A Chairman - now out.

Mr Liew, 70, told The Sunday Times: "I had embarked on a new hobby of writing e-mails as a means of reaching out to my colleagues and staff...

"It is a tool to influence their thinking, to curate their corporate values, their sense of responsibility to the company and to society."

The communication goes both ways and staff are welcome to offer feedback.

Mr Liew, who left CapitaLand in 2012, believes successful leaders must be good communicators, which is why he continues to send Sunday e-mails to staff at Changi Airport Group and Surbana Jurong.

These notes are written in his characteristically candid and casual style, containing anecdotes, personal reflection and a good handful of quotable quotes.

In an e-mail titled Pragmatism In Business, Mr Liew urged the management not to be emotionally attached to the buildings they have acquired or built. "ROE is returns on equity, not returns on emotion."

He also shared the key ingredients of his career success - the 5Ps, which stand for paranoia, perseverance, perfectionism, passion and pragmatism.

"Being paranoid forces me to plan ahead to deal with even the most remotely possible adversity... the consequence of not doing so may be regretful and unforgiving," Mr Liew, a trained engineer, wrote in another note.

He spends four to five hours on a Sunday afternoon crafting the e-mails, drawing inspiration from his travels, business dealings and observations.

MANAGEMENT STYLE

Whether in his previous role as a chief executive or as a chairman now, Mr Liew takes a hands-on approach in overseeing the companies, be it in the hiring of senior staff or assessing an acquisition target.

"I am involved very much in interviewing senior people, for example, a vice-president or senior vice-president. I have the vetting right... I do turn down candidates who are recommended by management."

The topic of talent development and having the right core values takes up an entire chapter in his new book.

Mr Liew emphasises the importance of "eyeballing" candidates and asking them questions about their personal and education background to determine their aptitudes, attitudes and interests. For senior appointments, he would even personally run reference checks on a candidate's past performance by speaking to former employers.

Having the right troops is a key consideration in driving corporate growth but, beyond talent, being committed is also critical.

"They may have talent, but they can stay with you for two years and leave... I am a firm believer of building a lasting organisation. And an organisation can last only when people last," he said.

SURBANA JURONG

As chairman of urban-planning consultancy Surbana Jurong, Mr Liew aims to build the firm into Asia's consultancy powerhouse on the back of the region's growing needs in infrastructure.

The firm announced last month that it had acquired Australian-based SMEC Holdings for $400 million, a move that takes the consultancy's workforce to 10,000 staff members in 40 countries.

Surbana has also been appointed to draw up a masterplan to develop Chongqing into western China's logistics hub. This is part of the third bilateral project - Chongqing Connectivity Initiative - between Singapore and China.

Apart from China, the company is involved in more than 40 projects in fast-emerging Myanmar, including masterplanning, project management and engineering design.

Mr Liew is bullish about urbanisation and infrastructure prospects in China, Africa and South-east Asia, and he is not overly concerned about whether the firm has the bandwidth to handle the increasing workload.

"I have one business philosophy and that is 'I am not worried about not enough people, I am worried about not enough business'.

"You get me the business, I will find the people to do it," he said.

There is potential for more mergers and acquisitions ahead as Surbana Jurong seeks to grow its capabilities in underground development and environmental engineering. Mr Liew noted that these are areas in which European companies have an edge.

CHANGI AIRPORT GROUP

It is apt to say that Mr Liew's work at Changi Airport Group has come full circle. He was appointed to the board in June 2009 but his involvement with the world-class air hub had begun much earlier.

More than 40 years ago, he had requested a transfer to the Public Works Department to learn to be an airport engineer - a move that had him involved in the construction of Changi Airport in 1975.

Today, it is one of the world's busiest international airports, handling more than 55.4 million passenger movements last year and serving 100 airlines flying to more than 320 cities.

"Aviation is always competitive, that is the order of the game... But I think we have performed well... we have won over 500 awards," Mr Liew noted.

With increasing competition from Middle Eastern airlines and airports for the European market, he said Changi Airport can focus its strategies on capturing a larger share of the pie in Asia.

"We are positive that the Asian aviation business is going to be very big. Look at China, for instance... Its outbound this year is already 140 million people. It was looking at 100 million outbound in the year 2020. But now in 2016, it has already outgrown that number."

Mr Liew's enthusiasm about growing Surbana Jurong and Changi Airport Group is unlikely to wane with age. When asked if he would retire at some point, he quipped: "I don't retire, I die!"

He added: "Society has invested so much in you in terms of the experience that you have and to say just because you reach a certain age, you fall off the cliff into nothingness - I think that is a silly thing."

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Building billions with $3.40

Global vision: Tiong hopes his food products and ships will be seen in all corners of the globe.

Sarawak’s tycoon Datuk Tiong Su Kouk learned from a young age that wealth and success comes only from tried and tested hard work.

AT his gala birthday party on Sept 27 in Sibu, Sarawak’s tycoon Datuk Tiong Su Kouk was inundated with loud praises and exclusive gifts from business partners, Chinese associations and relatives from near and afar.

But the well-crafted gift of “Three dollar notes and 40 cent coins” from Tiong’s 2,000 ­employees in his listed company CCK Consolidated Holdings Bhd was the one which stood out among the glittering jewellery, bright Chinese paintings and flattering messages.

The four rusty copper coins and three one dollar notes bearing Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait, which were legal tender in 1950s British-ruled Sarawak, symbolise the beginning of Tiong’s rags-to-riches story.

The astute businessman is known in Sibu to have built up his huge business empire from a mere $3.40 at the tender age of 14.

Tiong, 73, is one of the top five tycoons in Sibu, which is famous for “nurturing” Malaysia’s top timber businessmen of the Foo Chow clan. The clan’s ancestors braved rough seas to land in Sibu to open up virgin jungles in 1901.

But unlike other tycoons, this Foo Chow who loves to sing the Mandarin song Unity is Strength at gatherings, began his career at a wet market selling fish and prawns.

The National Hawkers Association of Malaysia, which took pride of its own fellow hawker’s success and generous donations, has crowned Tiong “The Father of Hawkers”.

“I came from a family of nine siblings. We struggled with the meagre income from my father’s fish stall. So, when he was offered a manager’s job elsewhere, he told me to take over his stall and passed me $3.40 in a sachet,” says Tiong at Sibu’s CCK headquarters, which houses a large photo gallery of his achievements in the past 50 years.

Humble beginnings: The four rusty copper coins and three one dollar notes bearing Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait, which were legal tender in 1950s British-ruled Sarawak, symbolise the beginning of Tiong’s rags-to-riches story.

“I was a bit bitter then. Why choose me among nine and make me stop schooling at 14? Perhaps it was because I was a fast and hardy rubber tapper (from age eight to 14). But looking back, it was a blessing in disguise. I am the ­greatest achiever in amassing wealth. I might not be where I am today without making a sacrifice early,” adds Tiong in Mandarin, at a three-hour interview with the Sunday Star..

After netting success in fish trading, Tiong went into the frozen seafood business at the age of 27. His seafood products are still a common sight in the market and supermarket till today..

Ten years ago, he ventured into the poultry industry and prawn farming. His food products have entered other areas in South-East Asia, China, Australia, even Europe and the United States..

Apart from the food business, grouped under CCK listed in Bursa Malaysia, Tiong ventured into boat-building some 40 years ago under the name Nam Cheong. Today, this Singapore-listed company is a leading global marine player and Malaysia’s largest builder of offshore support vessels (OSV)..

Under his privately held S.K. Tiong Group of Companies, Tiong has a hand in housing and commercial property developments worth over RM2bil in the country. This group is also an agent for national car Proton and various brands of beverages in Sibu..

Recollecting his early days, Tiong said he used his “two hands and brains” to do business. He was perhaps the first fishmonger to “customise” service for his customers to suit their needs. This was perhaps why within a short time, the young fishmonger became the biggest seafood trader..

Remembering his roots: Tiong giving donations in Minchiang, Fuzhou, where his ancestors came from, in 1986.

With success came recognition. For the past 20 years, Tiong has been an active community leader, holding top posts in many associations. He headed the Sarawak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and was deputy president of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM). He was also a member of the Government’s special economic consultative council when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister.

Tiong, known for his business acumen, is seen as a good boss. He showed compassion to his staff who did not have a roof over their head in Sibu, and sold them houses at cost price. His name also appears in many charitable bodies.

Tiong was conferred the Panglima Jasa Negara, with the title “Datuk”, by the King in 2001.

The friendly and unassuming businessman, who describes himself as “happy as an angel”, shares his success recipe and life philosophies. Below are the excerpts:

How did you break away from the wet market?

I worked very hard, 16 hours a day for 12 years in the wet market. So when a foreigner recently asked me which university I graduated from, I said: “Market University.”

In the market, I customised my service. When someone wanted to cook curry fish for a family of four, I would pack the right type of fish for her. When I delivered the fish to her home, it came with curry powder and vegetables.

But as fresh seafood gets stale fast, this trade could only expand to a limit. So I went to Japan to learn the food freezing technology. I started the first frozen seafood outlet in Sibu at 27. It was tough selling. People said frozen foods were stones, not edible. For three months, there was no business. To win customers over, I gave them (the food) for free. I said: “If edible, come and buy. If not, you can forget me.” After that, there were no more issues with frozen food.

Please talk about your food ­business and CCK.

My food products are sold in Malaysia, Australia, Hong Kong, Europe and the US, among others, via more than 70 retail outlets. My target is to have at least 100 outlets. I am also importing food products.

In terms of food processing, I have two factories in Indonesia and a chicken meat processing plant. I have a large prawn farm in East Malaysia and we export frozen prawns and related products.

Birthday joy: Tiong with his wife at his birthday celebration in Sibu on Sept 27.

The current slowdown has affected our business slightly, but not much, as food is a necessity. The share price of CCK at around 75 sen/unit is low but as the company is solid, I am not concerned. I don’t buy or sell CCK shares.

(CCK posted a net profit of RM5.75mil and revenue of RM245.53mil in the first half of ­calendar year 2015. Its net asset per share stood at RM1 as at end-June 2015).

How is Nam Cheong Ltd doing?

Orders for shipbuilding have been hit by the plunge in crude oil price.

Some customers have delayed their buy orders but none have cancelled their orders. During this period, we have to be understanding towards our customers. Due to bad market conditions, we may hold back any expansion plan.

However, I believe 2016 will be a better year for Nam Cheong, as the market is likely to improve in the first half of 2016.

(Nam Cheong posted revenue of RM518.9mil and net profit of RM49.8mil in the first half of this year.)

Please tell us more about your property investments.

I have never encountered any major failure in my property investments in my buy-low sell-high strategy. Currently, I have housing and property development projects in the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak.

During 1997/98 Asian financial crisis and 2008 slowdown, I picked up cheap deals. When I could make reasonable gains, I let go. Before the current down cycle struck, I had sold a property project in Iskandar Malaysia. I am holding back on my hotel project in Danga Bay, Johor Baru.

Fruit of his labour: Tiong and his family are all smiles at his home in Sibu.

But my commercial projects in Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Miri and Johor Baru will go on because there is still demand.

I think property prices have not hit bottom yet. We may see the bottom in one to two years.

I have plans to list my property business. We need to face pressure in order to progress and work efficiently. When we list our entity, the management will be centralised, we will have to be more disciplined, transparent and accountable.

Like in the case of Nam Cheong, we had to comply with rules on corporate governance. I am proud that Nam Cheong won the The Most Trans­parent Company award (in foreign listing) in 2013.

What is the recipe for your ­success? Did ­connections and ­politics play a part?

I work very hard. I am sincere and trustworthy. Hence, professional bankers trust me and give me financial support. As a businessman, I have also shown that I am sharp, able to make the right decision and act fast.

As a boss, I am lucky to have the strong support of my staff. They treat the company like their family. Every year, they celebrate my birthday. I am very touched by their gesture. I remember during the anti-Chinese riots in Indonesia in 1998, the staff there put up a 24-hour vigil to protect the factory.

I daresay my business has largely depended on our own hard work – not politics, though I have friends who are influential politicians.

For chicken farming, you have to start work at midnight. And in shipbuilding, it is work 24 hours. You have to follow the rules of work, not politics. Businessmen cannot rely on political support too much. It is too risky to do so.

And as a person with little formal education, how do I overcome obstacles? I hire the right people to help me. Some are experts with doctorate degrees. Their advice help turn me into an expert like them. With these people around, I have become a Zhuge Liang (the legendary genius and military strategist who masterminded the rise of Shu Kingdom in the Romance of Three Kingdoms).

What are your greatest ­achievements in life and business?

In life, my greatest achievement is having my family living harmoniously together. I enjoy reunions with my siblings and friends.

In community service, I am proud that I was the first Foo Chow in the world to become president of the Foo Chow associations at the local, national and world levels simultaneously. I am also proud that I spearheaded the construction of the World Fuzhou Heritage Gallery in Sibu. It is the first such gallery outside China and it houses antiques and exhibits depicting the history of the Foo Chow in Sibu, their early hardship, customs and culture.

In business, I am glad to have two listed companies and see my staff working happily. A few years back, when I moved house and offered to sell my old house to any staff without a house, there was no taker. Every­body has a house. That was one of the happiest moments in my life and also my pride.

Since 1986, I have donated millions to help the financially backward Foo Chows in China. This was the wish of my late father.

Is there any advice you wish to give to young entrepreneurs?

There is no golden advice. Just do it. Build your brand name. Don’t be afraid of failure. As the Chinese saying goes, failure is the mother of success. Once you earn the first pot of gold, the next is easy to come by.

Who will be the ­successor to your ­business empire?

Whoever has the most wisdom and best performance will take over the lead role. Although as a Chinese, I am inclined to follow the Chinese custom and tradition of handing over the baton to the ­eldest son, this may not necessarily be the case. It’s all based on merit.

I have three sons and a daughter. My sons, as well as my son-in-law, are in CCK and Nam Cheong taking up important positions. They will be judged by their performance. But they should know that whoever takes over the leadership, he will have to face the greatest pressure and responsibility while enjoying the most prestige and happiness.

As a successful ­businessman at 73, what else would you want to do?

I still have to do some work for ­society. I am doing a lot of charities. About 19 years ago, I set up a RM10mil foundation to help schools, poor students and the under-privileged. I plan to give out more as helping people makes me happy. But business-wise, I still have a vision. I like to look out at the world from my Singapore office. I hope one day my food products and ships will be seen in all corners of the globe.

BY HO WAH FOON

Money, money, money ... Love of money is the root of all evil !

Lets not use Money as an all-powerful weapon to buy people

ONE can safely assume that the subject of money would be of interest to almost all and sundry. ABBA, the Swedish group, sang about it. Hong Kong’s canto pop king, Samuel Hui made a killing singing about it. Donna Summers, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Rick James and quite a few more, all did their versions of it.

Is money all that matters? The ‘be all and end all’ of life?

This will certainly be a fiercely-debated subject by people from both sides of the divide; the haves and have nots. Just last week, my 12-year-old asked if the proverb Money is the root of all evil is true. Naturally, like most kids of his generation, he would not have a clue as to how difficult it is for money to come about. Or why, when it does come about, it has the power to make and break a person. To a Gen-Z kid, the concept of having to ‘earn’ money is somewhat alien. Simply because everything he ever needs and beyond is ‘magically’ provided for.

Forget about teaching this generation to earn their keeps, just expecting them to pick up after themselves is a herculean ask. But we are not here to talk about that, instead, is money really the root of all evil? Perhaps, the proper answer would be ‘the love of money is’.

Let’s see what sort of evil comes with this love of money. Top of mind would be corruption, covetousness, cheating, even murder, just to name a few. These, of course, are of the extreme.

What about at the workplace? How does the love of money or rather the lure of money affect the employment market? Let me take on a profession closer to my heart, the advertising industry. Annually, our varsities and colleges churn out thousands of mass communication and advertising grads. Of these, only a handful would venture into the industry. Where have all the others gone?

A quick check with fellow agency heads reveals that many have opted to go into the financial sectors as the starting packages are somehow always miraculously higher than those offered by advertising agencies. A classic case of money at work. For those who have actually joined the ad industry, some get pinched after a while because of a better offer of ... money, and more. (As if this is not bad enough, the “pinchers” are often not only from within the industry but are clients!)

The fact is there is absolutely nothing wrong in working towards being the top of one’s profession and getting appropriately remunerated for it. The problem starts when money is used as the all-powerful weapon to ‘buy’ people. Premium ringgit is often paid to acquire many of these hires, some of whom, unfortunately, are still a little wet behind the ears. Paying big bucks for talent is all right, as long as the money commensurate with the ability and experience of the person.

Case in point is if an individual is qualified only as a junior executive with his current employer, should he then be offered the job as a manager and paid twice the last drawn salary? All because some of us are just so short on resources.

Now, hypothetically, if this person was offered the managerial post anyway, would he be able to manage the portfolio and deliver what is expected of him? Would he, for instance, ask what he needs to bring to the table? After all, he has suddenly become the client service director and draws a salary of RM20k a month. Does he actually need to bring more new businesses, or what? We can call ourselves all sorts of fancy titles but the point is we have got to earn it. As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Having served on the advertising association council for the past nine years and presiding over it the last two, it concerns me greatly to see the how money is affecting and somewhat thinning the line of qualified successors to the present heads.

The lack of new talents coming into the ad business is increasingly worrisome. Though it may look a seemingly distant issue to most clients, they must now take heed. The agencies are business partners and if there is going to be a dearth of talents it will surely affect the clients’ business in the near future. So rather than pinching the rare good ones from the agencies, would it then not be in the clients’ best interest to instead remunerate the agencies so to secure better and higher standards of expertise? Food for thought, eh?

Pardon me for being old school. I am a firm advocate of the saying that one should not chase money. First learn to be at the top of your trade and money will chase you. Then again, we are now dealing with and learning how to manage the present generation. A generation of young, smart, fearless, and somewhat impatient lot who may not be as loyal as their predecessors. A generation that loves life and crave excitement. Adventure is in their blood and ‘conforming’ is a bad word. And money, lots of it, makes the world go faster for them.

As elders, we need to look hard and deep into how to inculcate the right value of money in this new generation. These are our children. They are the future. If we make no attempt to set this right and instead keep on condoning the practice of over-remunerating them, we will be in trouble. The fact that Malaysia will soon have to compete in the free-trade region further allows money to flex its muscles more. I shudder to think what would happen to our young ones if we keep on mollycoddling them with the wrong idea that they ought to be highly paid just for breathing.

Folks, my sincere apologies if I have inadvertently touched some tender nerves but a wake-up call this has to be. For our dear clients, think about the proposition to review your agency’s remunerations – upwards I mean. This, over taking people from the industry, will save you more in the long run.

For those of us in the agencies, let us keep polishing up our skills and not let money be the sole motivator. If you are good, others will take notice. Work hard, the rewards will come. Just exercise some patience.

I leave you with a saying that one Mr Jaspal Singh said to me when I was a rookie advertising sales rep with The Star eons ago: “Man make money, money does NOT make a man”. (Or woman, of course.)

Till the next time, a very Happy Deepavali to all.

God bless!

 By Datuk Johnny Mun, who has been an advertising practitioner for over 30 years, is president of the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents. He is also CEO of Krakatua ICOM, a local ad agency.

"Chinese dream" speaks to the whole world, offers global inspiration

When President Xi Jinping articulated a vision of prosperity, national rejuvenation and happiness for the people at the UNESCO headquarters in March, he added the best footnote yet to the notion of the "Chinese dream."

No other words about China in recent years have captured the world's attention and imagination as those two have.

The phrase, first mentioned during a speech by Xi two weeks after he was elected general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in November 2012, has been echoed repeatedly by Chinese leaders and is considered a central mission of the new leadership.

The latest reaffirmation came on Sunday, when Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao called on young people to work for the "Chinese dream" to integrate their personal dreams with the bigger dream of the Chinese nation's revival.

Although the country might still be years, if not decades, away from living its dream for real, the Chinese dream has provided global inspiration.

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev said in January during a visit to Beijing that he admired China for its great achievement of development and that he believed the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation will benefit the whole world as well as the Chinese people.

Asha-Rose Migiro, a former UN deputy secretary-general, also said last year that the "Chinese dream" resonated with the dream of Africa, as China and Africa can achieve common development through common efforts.

This is no accident and not difficult to understand. For one thing, the Chinese dream does not run contrary to the common aspirations worldwide, but is compatible with them.

Peace, prosperity, happiness and social stability, which are the essence of the Chinese dream, are also the most fundamental components of the shared pursuits of people worldwide.

In that sense, people across the world have all dreamt of the "Chinese dream" in their own way. It is no wonder that foreigners understand the notion upon first hearing it.

The Chinese dream also offers huge potential opportunities for cooperation and mutual benefit for other countries, both economically and politically.

China's rapid economic growth has produced enormous "bonuses," not only for the Chinese people, but also for the whole world.

According to figures from the National Statistics Bureau, China has topped the list of contributors to the global economy, with up to 19.2 percent of world economic growth coming from China in 2007, compared to only 2.3 percent in 1978.

China is not only the main engine of global economic growth, but also the defender of regional peace and stability.

Unlike certain troublemakers in the region, China has the resolve to create with Asian countries a peaceful and bright future for East Asia and the rest of the continent.

The realization of the Chinese dream does not entail fracturing the dreams of other countries. On the contrary, it helps them to realize their own dreams of peace and prosperity. - Xinhua

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The mind-set: how the rich get richer, the poor get poorer? You need more money ...

The rich may get richer while the poor may get poorer, but it doesn't have to be that way. It requires a change of mind-set.

I ONCE overheard someone lament that “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer”, which made me think if indeed that statement is true.

The rich do get richer only because they have sound financial concepts required to stay rich. They focus on their net worth, working on their appreciating rather than depreciating assets.

They know how much is required to keep their lifestyle. They don’t necessarily need to be debt-free because they know what good leveraging can do to enhance their wealth. They employ financial strategies which are contrarian to common ones - taking on investment opportunities when others would stay away and having the purpose driven portfolios.

They consciously inject capital into their portfolios rather than on an ad hoc or timing basis. They know the impact of inflation on their money and insurance coverage because they review their financial life regularly. Their financial data is maintained and accessible anytime they want.

The poor do get poorer only because they continue to adopt a poverty mind-set. They focus on their expenses too much either being overly frugal or overly spendthrift.

Frugality means overprotective of your money which prevents risk-taking while overspending means financial leakages and unnecessary bad debts.

Their financial life has no planning and they have never taken a conscious effort to straighten it out. Their finances are all lumped into a “pot” which is meant to be used for everything.

They do invest but usually due to either lack of knowledge or fear of losing their capital, the amount is too small to be financially significant. Their insurance coverage depletes as medical costs rise, unsure what and for how much they are insured for.

It really doesn’t have to be this way. There is a way to change your financial situation. The first step is to decide to be financially responsible yourself. Acquire the right financial knowledge and make that change. Find a financial buddy to help you get started.

- Financial Snacks by Joyce Chuah, CEO of Success Concepts Life Planners

So you need more money ... 

The problem always starts when you owe more than what you can earn, financial experts say.

When it comes to money, Adrienne Wong (not her real name) believes she is a reasonable spender.

An assistant communications manager, Wong, 31, earns about RM8,000 a month, but says her debts take up a sizeable chunk of her monthly income.

The two biggest items in her list, her housing and car loans, amount to about RM3,000.

“My credit card bills usually come up to another RM1,000 plus, so that’s more than half of my salary gone. With utility bills, that’s another RM600. The rest goes into savings, pocket money for my parents and a bit of shopping.

“With property and car prices as high as they are now, it’s no wonder our loan amounts are so big. But what choice do we have?” Wong asks.

Indeed, the rising rate of household debts is a pressing concern – as of March, this year, the Malaysian household debt ratio against the GDP reached an all-time high of 83%.

Last week, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) announced a three-prong approach to curb the rising trend of household debts:

> Maximum tenure of property financing is now fixed at 35 years;

> Maximum tenure of personal loans is fixed at 10 years;

> Prohibition on the offering of pre-approved personal financing products.

BNM Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz had said that Malaysia currently has the highest household debt to GDP for a developing country in the region. In comparison, Thailand’s household debt ratio stands at 30%, Indonesia at 15.8%, Hong Kong at 58%, Taiwan at 82%, Japan at 75% and Singapore at 67%.

Countries that have higher household debt to GDP are the United States at 91.7%, United Kingdom at 114%, Australia at 113%, New Zealand at 91%, and South Korea at 91%.

RAM Holdings Bhd group chief economist Dr Yeah Kim Leng says BNM’s move is a “prudent one”.

“A financial crisis can always be traced back to excessive borrowing or leveraging, and the problem is that we never know we are in a credit bubble until that bubble bursts.

“The higher this figure is, the more vulnerable the household sector will be to economic shocks, which can come in the form of an economic downturn,” he says.

The concern, he says, is when people owe more than what they can earn, which is not sustainable.

According to BNM figures, the three biggest contributors to Malaysian household debt are the housing, car and personal loans (refer to chart).

Personal loans can be used for a variety of reasons.

Teacher Siti Norsharmi Fateh Mohamad, 28, says she took a RM35,000 personal loan three years ago to fund her wedding.

“We wanted our wedding to be special, with everything done up nicely. It didn’t feel like much then, but now that we have more commitments (a daughter and a housing loan), it’s definitely an additional burden for us.

“On hindsight, we shouldn’t have taken the personal loan ... it wasn’t a necessity,” she says.

But personal loans are popular lately and there’s a reason for it.

“Banks aggressively push personal loans because it’s one of the most profitable products for them. Interest rates for personal loans can be anywhere from 3% to 12%,” says a former local bank manager who declined to be named.

Spending trends have also changed, says Dr Yeah.

“Previously, people only spend what they can afford, but practices have changed. Today, many people don’t mind spending money they don’t have.

“Taking a personal loan is not necessarily a bad thing, but it depends on why you’re doing it. Taking a personal loan for education, for example, is fine, because you’re improving your skills ... or for medical purposes to enhance one’s health. But to take a loan for conspicuous consumption, or to make speculative ‘investments’... I think that should be discouraged,” he says.

Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) chief executive officer Koid Swee Lian agrees.

“It is quite common now for people to take personal loans prior to a festivity because they want to buy new furniture, change their curtains, do a bit of renovation.

“Consumers must be discerning and responsible in their borrowings, just as credit providers must be responsible in their lending. Earn before you spend, not spend then earn! Use the debit card and not the credit card if you cannot pay in full each month,” she says.

Before taking a loan, Koid says consumers should ask themselves:

> Do you really need the personal loan?

> Is it for a productive purpose or can you forgo it?

> Can you afford to pay the loan instalments? If the interest rate increases, can you still pay the increased loan instalments?

> If the loan is for a productive purpose, would you generate enough income to repay the loan and leave some income for yourself?

If taking up a personal loan is absolutely necessary, Koid advises potential borrowers to do their homework and compare the different bank rates.

“Go to bankinginfo.com.my where you can make a comparison of all the rates. Don’t take a loan just because it’s offered. Also, understand what you’re signing up for. Find out whether the bank is charging you a flat rate, a reducing rate or a floating rate,” she says.

Koid gives an example of a loan with these terms – a RM10,000 loan to be paid over five years at 4% interest rate per annum.

“A flat rate of 4% for a five years may not sound like a lot, but what it actually means is that you’re essentially paying 20% interest for the five-year loan. The amount of interest you pay doesn’t change regardless of how much you’ve repaid,” she says.

“Compare this to a reducing rate. If you’ve paid RM1,000, that means the interest should only be on the remaining RM9,000.”

Those who have trouble managing their cashflow can also seek help at AKPK or call its toll-free line at 1800-88-2575.

“People who have a debt problem often feel very embarrassed, but I think they need to be realistic. You’re in that situation, you have to solve it. Come to us, we will do our best to help you,” Koid says.

BY LISA GOH  lisagoh@thestar.com.my

Doing good well - there's greater impact in helping through informed giving

TWO weeks ago, I was on a flight back from Singapore. One of the newspapers had a poignant picture of a young boy in tears. I could practically feel him staring at me.

He had been rescued from a saree embroidery factory in Kathmandu. Child labour in the Kathmandu Valley is extensive and there are up to 80 such factories which employ more than 500 children, mostly below the age of 14, to make those sarees. And the sad part of the story is that many do not want to be rescued.

The Kathmandu operation was timed to coincide with World Against Child Labour Day which was on June 12. According to the International Labour Organisation, hundreds of millions of girls and boys throughout the world are involved in work that deprives them from receiving adequate education, health, leisure and basic freedoms.

More than half of these children are exposed to abuse because they work in hazardous environments where slavery, forced labour, illicit activities such as drug trafficking and prostitution, and armed conflict are common.

The plight of these children weighed heavy on my mind on this short flight back.

The following week, I was on the road listening to the radio and I learnt that World Refugees Day was on June 20. It is estimated that more than 45 million people worldwide have fled their homes due to conflict, persecution and other abuses.

In Malaysia, there are over 100,000 registered refugees in Kuala Lumpur alone, and one can imagine the actual figures nationwide, especially those not registered.

In looking at the two big issues here, we may wonder what we can do to make a difference in the lives of so many people.

Certainly there are many communities who will benefit from our giving and volunteer efforts – the aged, homeless, abused children and women, addicts, the poor,disabled, orphans, victims of human trafficking, etc to name a few. Then there are the sporadic needs in times of natural disasters.

And this is where the work of NGOs is significant. Many NGOs come about in response to a specific need and are small and limited in their operations. But there are an estimated 20,000 NGOs that operate globally because the causes they fight for transcend national borders.

And for the work they do, they need support. Some of these NGOs have a strong global presence and are able to draw funds and resources from many sources.

An executive from a large company once asked me what worthwhile organisation or group his company can contribute to.

I pointed them to a community in need of help for social change. They are children in estates who need assistance to enable them to stay in school. I told him that it would be better for him to visit the community in a somewhat remote area and understand their situation and needs.

The legwork proved to be a deterrent and so the company chose a children’s home in the Klang Valley instead. It was easier to arrange and provided ample photo opportunities for the company’s magazine.

There are many us who are willing to give and contribute. However, our giving can go further when it is done right.

For a start, we should go beyond being compassionate and generous, and instead be prepared to do due diligence to determine the deserving causes. This is called “informed giving” and it requires us to hold the organisation accountable so that the funds given are effectively used. It is not just giving, but following up for accountability and performance.

Sometimes it might be better to channel the funds raised to a reputable foundation to be administered instead of making the contributions direct. When I made this suggestion at a recent fundraising discussion, it was met with some laughter. Why would you give money to another organisation which already has so much money?

I know of trustees in a charitable foundation who diligently visit the communities they support. They want to see for themselves how the money is spent, whether the classroom has been built, and how the children who received financial aid were doing.

Just as the executive could not find the time to check out the community I recommended, many of us also do not have the time to do follow-up and accountability.

So we should consider those organisations which take the work of giving seriously. They are the ones that are managed professionally, with full transparency and accountability.

Companies and individuals can partner with such organisations which are more efficient and have a proven track record in helping others.

This is the reason why Warren Buffett gives such generous amounts to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to pass on to the right people. Buffet knows that he should just continue to do what he does best, which is to make a lot of money, rather than rolling up his sleeves to manage the giving directly.

There are many practices in companies which can be applied to social work to transform lives.

Like businesses, charitable organisations need the best leaders and people to execute the programmes.

Many of the issues faced are complex. We need to understand the issues and provide insights on the right solutions to address the root causes of the problems.

Which is why simply doing good is not enough. We need to move to “doing good well”.

TAKE ON CHANGE By JOAN HOI

● Joan is inspired and influenced by the book, Doing Good Well. What does (and does not) make sense in the non-profit world by Willie Cheng.

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About Doing Good Well 

 The way we see the world can change the world. In this book, Willie Cheng frames and explains the nonprofit world while providing fresh insights as to where and why it works - or not.

He covers a spectrum of nonprofit paradigms including:

•	The structure of the marketplace - challenging whether a “marketplace” truly exists.

•	Concepts of nonprofit management - disputing why charities must follow corporate mantras of growth and reserves accumulation.

•	Philanthropy and volunteerism - questioning the motivations of givers.

•	New social models of social enterprises, social entrepreneurship and venture philanthropy - seeking to explain why these may not have worked as intended.

•	Nonprofit quirks - showing how the rules can result in the extension of the rich/poor divide into the charity world and make fundraising inefficient through an efficiency ratio.

In describing his ideas through an easy writing style and hearty anecdotes, Cheng engages and provokes the reader with a strategic review of the status quo as well as the enormous potential in the nonprofit world. After all, as Cheng describes it, charity is no longer simply about “Just Doing Good” but “Doing Good Well.”

Success is a state of being

VERY often the benchmark of ­success is wealth. Everyone is judged by the external signs of wealth.

People pass ­disparaging remarks about those who are doing service or providing for others but are not wealthy and do not display the signs of wealth.

If people identify more with their external conditions or roles, they will inevitably feel inferior or superior to others and so lack self respect.

The ways in which society works often blinds an ­individual from realising his/her own ­self-worth. For example, society sometimes gives ­acknowledge-ment only to those who are wealthy or occupy a position of authority. In reality, every individual has the right to know that worth is inherent in every human ­being.

Self worth can help ­individuals avoid feelings of inferiority or superiority. The middle path is a dignified way of life.

Success is not a material thing. It is a state of being. We might call it contentment, ­happiness or even peace.

How do you define success? It is the completion of a task, another job well done, an exam passed, a promise kept, or a mountain climbed.

Whatever we believe success to be will have a profound ­influence on our lives.


Bridget Menezes is the author of Self-Empowerment and Spiritual Counsellor. Readers can email her at lifestyle.bridget@thesundaily.com.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way

 

THERE have been calls for the Government to allow the use of English as a medium of instruction in schools again. As there are Chinese and Tamil primary schools alongside national schools, Malaysians should have the freedom for another option. Presently, English as a medium of instruction is already available but only in private and international schools. Only a small percentage of Malaysians can afford to go to such schools.

I HAD my early education at a Chinese primary school in Bidor, Perak. Upon completing my Standard Six examination in the school, I moved on to the Government English Secondary School in Tapah, where I completed a year of Remove Class before going on to Form One.

I had my upper secondary education at Ipoh’s St Michael’s Institution (SMK St Michael Ipoh) and then pursued my tertiary studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia and later at Universiti Malaya.

I taught Mathematics and Physics in secondary schools for many years before being promoted to school prinicpal. I have now retired

Since I was in a Chinese school during my primary school years, I wasn’t at all good in the English language.

However, in Remove Class, I knew that I had to brush up on the language if I were to move up and do well in my studies.

To improve my English, one of the first things I did as a teen, was to keep a diary to record the daily happenings in my life.

My daily jottings also included my thoughts on events and activities both at school and at home.

We used to live in a shophouse. My father used its front portion to run his his Chinese medicine shop. There was a counter from where he conducted his business and surrounding it, were shelves of medicine that we referred to as the “medicine house” in Chinese.

We also had a “money room” but contrary to what most people might think, we did not stash bundles of cash and coins there. In fact, it was a cubicle at the back of our shophouse where my father would count the day’s takings, keep his books and carry out some administrative tasks.

Looking back, learning English has been a long and arduous journey for me — I often mixed up my tenses, misspelt words and even used the wrong words when I wrote and spoke; in fact, in many instances, I would directly translate from Chinese to English!

I cannot help but be amused by what I wrote then — thinking in good Chinese and writing in bad English! It seemed like a comedy of errors.

The image on the right is a page from my diary when I was in Remove Class. It was a Thursday, the 11th day of the first month in 1962. It reads as follows:

The Chinese New Year come nearly. To-day my mother asked us to clean the house. It was a hard work, because we must wash the ground, clean the kitten, door, bedroom, sitting place and money room. We started the work at 10.00am. First we clean the door, than the money room, medicine house, kitten, bed room. We washed the ground. 

All my brothers and sister were worked very hard. At about 2.00pm, we stoped our work and ate something. Then we continued our work. Everybody work with hard and happly. At about 4.30pm we have finished our work. To-day, we all felt very happly.

From the diary jottings above, it is obvious that my English then was “below average”.

However, my reason for attaching this page from my diary, is to urge English language learners not to be discouraged. It is through sheer perseverance that I overcame the challenges before me.

I was passionate about learning English and as the saying goes: Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

By LIONG KAM CHONG, Seremban, Negri Sembilan, The Star

High salary and high performance require book smart and street smart!

Heera: ‘Qualifications bring credibility to the job’.

WHEN it comes to hiring suitable talents, it would be ideal to have a potential employee with the relevant qualifications as well as one that has practical experience.

But what if there was just one vacancy available – and the organisation had to choose between the two candidates? In a hypothetical situation between a candidate that’s “book smart” (has the relevant qualifications) and one that’s “street smart” (has the practical experience), who would be the more likely choice?

More importantly, is a high-paying job unattainable for those without formal education? Or is there still a chance for a candidate that does not have that oh-so-important diploma or degree?

The book smart candidate

Heera Training and Management Consultancy principal consultant Heera Singh believes a candidate with the relevant qualifications would generally be “technically competent” in that job.

“It certainly brings credibility to the job. For example, if someone has a Masters in Human Resources (HR) Management, then the qualification enhances his credibility,” he tells StarBizWeek.

“It also assists greatly in the recruitment and selection of employees. For example, if a job is advertised and does not specify technical qualifications, but only states practical experience required, then every Tom, Dick and Harry will apply and this will ensure lots of extra work for the HR department,” Heera says.

Leaderonomics finance and human resources leader Ang Hui Ming concurs that having the right qualifications adds more credibility to an individual seeking employment – at least on paper.

“Generally, the employee might probably have a wider knowledge-base theoretically of the function he is hired for and has some form of certification of his ability to understand at least the basic concepts of the function,” she says.

However, it has often been said that what one learns in theory can be quite different in practice.

Heera believes that the “book smart” candidate, though technically qualified, still lacks experience – an important element that may be vital in certain jobs.

Ang: ‘Being technically qualified doesn’t mean they can do the jobs well’.

“Being technically qualified does not mean that they can do the jobs well. They may be more academically inclined rather than hands-on.

“They may be technically qualified but may not like the job. Many people, for example, go to university and do courses that their parents want them to do, or courses which their friends are doing. All they want to do is to get their qualifications.”

Ang, meanwhile, feels that not having the relevant experience is not a big deal – as it is something that can be acquired over time.

“There is no real disadvantage, experience is to meant to be built anyway.

“At most, it’s the lack of reality. If a person is all academic, it is uncertain how he or she will handle real life situations where the theories they learn needs to be adapted to the situation, environment and culture of any given place and time.”

The street-smart candidate

The advantage of hiring an employee with experience means that they can do the job straight away with minimal disruptions, says Heera.

“There is minimum need for any job orientation and at interviews, you can ascertain the type of practical experience they have and see if it suits or meets your job expectations.”

Ang concurs: “Generally, the employee might have deeper expertise in the function and would have experienced real-life situations in the function. This makes the person more adaptable and adept to handle similar natured situations more wisely and calmly.”

“The type of experience is important. If they have the wrong type of experience, then it is of no use to the company. For example, if a person has worked in a HR capacity in a government department, then his experience may not necessarily gel with what is wanted in the HR department in the private sector.

“Experience can be a bad teacher as it is always difficult to mould a person who has the experience but has picked up some bad habits along the way.”

Ang feels there’s no real disadvantage to hiring someone that has no paper qualifications but is oozing with experience.

“At most, probably a possible lack of what’s new in the market, or what’s happening on a global scale or what new technology is out there that can better equip him or her in the function.

“This is only an assumption as people that are hands-on can still learn market trends and future technology if they read up and do research on their own. There is just no paper qualification – that’s all.”

Does it really matter?

According to an article on online investment site Investopedia, “Is It Better To Be Book Smart Or Street Smart,” its author, Tim Parker, points out that one does not need to have the relevant paper qualifications to be truly successful.

“Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, is widely regarded as one of the best businessmen of his day. He didn’t have a college degree and neither did Steve Wozniak, the other founder of Apple.

“Other successful businessmen without college degrees include Dell Computer founder Michael Dell, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Virgin Brands founder Sir Richard Branson. People all over the world have found success without a college degree,” he writes.

But is that the rule or the exception, he then asks.

“Unemployment data shows that more than 8% of the population looking for a job (in the US) can’t find one.

However, for those with a bachelor’s degree, the unemployment rate is only 3.9%. The unemployment rate is 13% for people without a high school diploma.

“A college degree doesn’t guarantee success, but Bureau of Labour Statistics unemployment statistics show book smarts more than double your chances of finding a job.”

Of course, having an employee with both the relevant paper qualifications and practical experience would be the optimum choice, naturally.

“This would definitely be an ideal combination,” says Heera.

Ang says having both qualities would indeed be a plus point, adding however that having both relevant qualification and practical experience does not make one a best employee.

“It’s a person’s character, values and attitude that makes him or her a good employee. Qualifications and experience are all things that can be accumulated as long as one has the right attitude and desire.”

By EUGENE MAHALINGAM eugenicz@thestar.com.my

May 2013 be a year of productivity?

We must make sure Malaysia and the rest of the world keep going forward this new year.

WISHING people a “Happy New Year” or “Kong Xi Fa Cai” or “Selamat Hari Raya” or “Happy Deepavali” and “Merry Christmas” is something I enjoy doing very much.

The invention of e-mail, SMS and other more recent phone applications have made me a serial “wisher” and if you are on my contact list, you should have got a message from me.

For the coming 2013, I wrote a little ditty and it reads:
“Every New Year brings new hope,
Every New Year brings new joy,
Let’s make sure 2013 will bring more,
Let’s make 2013 a GREAT year”

Ninety per cent of those who got my message replied politely but most of them just treated it as another “wish”.

I would like to stress that my wish for everyone is a deep-felt one and it’s one that I mean with all sincerity – 2013 is an important year not only for us in Malaysia but also the world.

As this article is being written, the TV and wires are reporting that the Republicans and the White House have just made a last-minute deal to avoid the US economy from going over the “fiscal cliff” which would drive the US and possibly the Western world into a recession immediately.

There can be many criticisms levied against President Barack Obama and the other US politicians of leaving it until so late to come to a compromise on a very important matter with global impact.

But the successful conclusion just before midnight of New Year’s Eve augurs well for everyone. At least we started 2013 on a positive footing.

The stock markets in Asia reopened on the first day of trading of the New Year in positive territory. That’s a good start.

Avoiding the fiscal cliff is just one of many global issues that the world inherited from 2012 and needs to be overcome in 2013.

Among the more urgent ones are:

> The Euro Zone financial crisis. Nothing done seems to have had any effect and even the mighty German economy is beginning to waver under the weight of the problem. Other big economies like Spain, Portugal, Italy and France all seem to be resigned to the fact of a prolonged downturn.

The world needs to start treating economic ailments the way it treats terrorism and war – by doing it with an all-out effort.

I accept that there is no single cure for a downturn because most are caused by different situations.

However, the urgency in treating and handling economic issues is downright embarrassing.

An example is the World Trade Organisation that was set up more than 20 years ago and until today has hardly made any significant headway except to be a very expensive talk shop.

> The horrifying disintegration of Syria. The way the world has allowed this nightmare to carry on is unbelievable.

All they have done is pay lip service at best or at worst, send one side or the other more weapons that will only prolong the suffering.

The problem of the wide media publicity given to this civil war is that it has made people immune to the violence and abuses that is going on there.

Each time we see a new video coming out of that country that shows death and destruction, all we tend to do is shrug our shoulders and remark “another day in paradise”.

This has to stop. We have to care and, in 2013, we should all act as one to prevent such carnage from continuing.

> Back home in Malaysia, our attention will be focused on the GE 13 which I will bravely say will take place before April 7.

Does this mean that all our energy and attention will be centred on the first quarter of the year?

I hope not. Our energy will be needed even more after that.

Yes, this general election will be the mother of all political battles – the kind where brothers take on brothers and husbands bravely challenge wives’ political ideology.

I will not be wrong to say that both sides on the political divide have already hardened their stand – all are prepared not only for the polls but also to up the ante to a feverish pitch.

Let’s hope the pitch just stays feverish and measurable by the thermometer. Yes, there is much at stake for both sides – it’s political survival for some of the key characters in our political theatre.

Because much of it is about personal survival, certain personalities may want to take the feverish pitch past the measurable level.

I do not want to dwell on who has what at stake but I would like to caution all politicians that the country needs to move on after the votes are counted.

They must not create a situation where the country cannot move forward or backwards.

Malaysia cannot afford to be stuck in another 60 months of political quagmire caused by turning everything into a political issue whether it’s a Olympic silver medal or how long before Selangor runs out of water.

I hope the whole country will wake up after polling day, take in the results and quickly get back to work because there will be more than 154 days to go before the end of 2013.

Malaysia has burst into a quick trot in its catch-up with the rest of the world in 2012, let’s not waste all that to tantrums thrown by sore losers in a political race.

A very down-to-earth colleague, in reply to my greetings, wrote: “It’s just another day. So think young, stay healthy and better be good.”

While she may have meant the New Year’s day – I think it is also apt for the day after election.

Happy New Year.

WHY NOT?
By WONG SAI WAN saiwan@thestar.com.my

Executive editor Wong Sai Wan spent his New Year’s eve at a friend’s place toasting to a bright future for everyone.