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Sakmongkol ak 47

ariff.sabri@gmail.com

Thursday 7 May 2009

Further Lessons from an economic story


 

In my previous article, I wrote about lessons from an economic story. I told the story (an imaginary one) about a taxi driver. He works hard and has many skills. Yet he remains relatively poor by earning smaller income.

Notice that he is forced to be a master of all because of an imposed closed system. He is kept there and forced to be self sufficient. He is imprisoned as a result of a system that regulates social action. Call it the governing system

His less talented neighbour, less resourceful and lazy, earns a better living. He earns a higher income. He is the fictionalised government officer in our story.

The taxi driver and the government officer are all economic actors within the governing system.

The system has kept the taxi driver in his place while the same system is controlled by the government officer who ensures the system is kept that way. By now readers would have come around to say, the government officer in the story is not necessarily any government officer in the conventional sense, but one who represents those who control the levers of power of government.

The responses to the story affirm several points which I want to put across.

Sometime ago, I wrote that what we are actually looking for is equality in opportunities. In this story equality in opportunities would be in the form of opening up the system. Many commentators objected to the taxi driver earning the same as the government officer (assumed to be a degree holder).

Ah ha, we actually don't want equality in outcome after all. In some of my previous articles, when I offered the opinion, that we want equality in opportunities not equality in outcomes, that proposition was trashed.

By the many comments to this story about Lessons, we know, we actually want equality in opportunities and not equality in outcomes. Outcomes commensurate with education and effort.

There were several heart-warming stories about real life taxi drivers making it good. Their station in life became better when taxi drivers of this world; refuse to accept any current station in life as being inherently determined.

Hence that would demolish the idea that any one particular group has been able to pull ahead from another, because they have been imbibed with the genetic code to succeed. That would also demolish the idea that the Malay is less successful because he is not imbued with the genetic experience.

For instance, the Chinese who came to Malaya is said to have succeeded because they have had thousand of years, value indoctrination. As I recall the Chinese who came to Malaya sometime ago were the marginalised themselves and were from the lower strata. We can almost say, they were the dregs in Chinese society. That would make it untenable to accept the proposition that they were predisposed to success because they have had secret codes of success embedded in their genes.

The taxi driver and the Chinese singkeh ( sengkek in Pahang) were able to pull themselves ahead because of acquired habits and values offered as response to external challenges.

The several times retrenched taxi driver learnt the value of harder work, determination, not giving up, wanting a better life, thrift and saving to pull ahead.

The taxi driver and the immigrant Chinese represent what? They represent different actors affected by an identical general cause. They reacted in their own ways to the forces set in motion by an identical cause.

As Arnold Toynbee says- a society is confronted in the course of its life by a succession of problems which each member has to solve itself as best as it may. The presentation of each problem is a challenge to undergo an ordeal and through this series of ordeals the members of the society progressively differentiate themselves from one another.

I did not expect that short story to degenerate into an us- versus- them arguments. This is not about Malay and Chinese economic positions. I wanted to establish the principles by which the taxi driver can progress. He pulls ahead by leveraging on acquired habits and values and refused to be imprisoned by the system. His acquisition of the pro progress habits and values (gleaned from real life examples) is the response to the challenge set in motion by an external cause.

The government officer remains that way, because within the upper loop of his section of society, everyone who is a member of his fraternity is allowed to trade. The ones refused entry and disallowed to trade are the taxi drivers of the world.

22 comments:

Anonymous,  7 May 2009 at 09:48  

maybe things are not as simple as it look and not easy to categorise in school books. the ability and willingness of the actors are also factors to be taken into account. in term of government policy, i don't think there is an attempt to halt self actualisation of any kind. if not, most us will not be where we are now. the oppurtunity is there, it is only me not being able to fully take advantage of it. as a politician, i am sure you have come across villagers selling away the lembu bantuan, baja bantuan and whatever else government gave them to help better their lot.

on the other hand, there are also problems with the machinery. parts of the machine, not the vehicle as a hold. i once felt tired of life in the city and thought of going back to my kampung bela lembu and kambing. the oppurtinity is there. mara is willing to give me loan, supply the lembu and feed for a year. 'all you have to do is look for a piece of land,' mara said. i went to see a politician to ask for help to get a piece of land. 'boleh' the politician said, 'tapi, koi nok la separuh share'. i went back to the kuala lumpur, where a kampung mate who lives in kl said to me, 'org hampuras je tinggal kat tempat kita tu, org molek seme lari kolumpo dah'.

Ariff Sabri 7 May 2009 at 15:06  

anon at 09:48

you make me arrive at the same conclusion never said in the textbooks.
using you as an example of a Malay- you have 'the want' to progress within, you are willing to apply yourself, but for the inhibiting system, you are prevented from doing so.
that would dispel the notion, that malays are backward because they are lazy.
all those self propelling values you mentioned that you have, are all acquired habits. if they are acquired, they can be cultivated.

Anonymous,  7 May 2009 at 15:13  

Issue : Taxi drivers are slaves to the big companies who owns ( truck loads ) of permits.

Solution : Issue permits direct to qualified i.e. taxi drivers with more then 5 years experience/good track record.

Seems like an equitable proposition?Reality is out of the 1000 or so permits issued recently,most of the recipients are still struggling to raise funds to get a taxi on the road.If they can't get the taxi on the road within 3 months or so,permits may be revoked.

Watch the next knee jerk solution.

Shahnon 7 May 2009 at 16:34  

Dato',
Sorry for the off-topic post here. What's your take on the Perak power grab issue? Would like to hear your view on that. :)

walla 7 May 2009 at 17:35  

Issue: "Reality is out of the 1000 or so permits issued recently, most of the recipients are still struggling to raise funds to get a taxi on the road."

Solution: Umno has one billion ringgit in reserves (TMM); 1,000 taxi's x 50,000 ringgit = 50 million ringgit = 5 percent of that reserve.

Rationale: one, that billion ringgit reserve couldn't have come from annual membership fee collected; two, walk the talk; three, poverty transcends political affiliation; four, keep the billion in the bank and draw two percent? why not add that two percent into the package?

How: call it '2009 is the taxi-driver's year'; 2010 will be the fisherman's year; 2011 will be the farmer's year; 2012 will be the retail shop year; 2013 will be the bus driver year; 2014 will be the ... You don't have to buy boats, shops, buses etc. Help can be in other forms; even if you shave off half the reserves, you still can do ten high impact annual programs to lift up the malays where it counts.

..................

To repeat what Datuk has said, the malays can do it. They are not asking for hand-outs. Only opportunities. And those opportunities have been closed by an arcane system which debilitates, distresses and demotivates. Not just the malays but everyone else. Including the country.

.......................

Other things can be done. When you turn on the tv, there are programs on how to foster harmony between husband and wife. Where's the program on how to make money?

Take it step by step. Say someone has some savings. Call it x. And he or she wants to do something with it to make it x+y in six months, x+y+z in one year, and so on. Give one example each episode. This week, batik printing and marketing. Next week, direct marketing. Another week, cake baking and selling. In each episode, start from the beginning and take the viewers step by step. Then show how someone has made it and another of someone who has not made it. And why. Then invite viewers to call in with their suggestions. You know, things that individuals can do starting small, or if they can't, then combine with others like them, and proceed from there. The end objective is to give them a chance and the know-how to proceed on their own. The laman web for the show should also list down the check list and contact details of those agencies they will probably need to refer to; even who to speak to in foreign consulates here if they are going to export later. This whole idea is not just to expand the knowhow and motivating bit to as many as quickly as possible. It is also to instil the feeling that the problem grows less with each effort made. And there are problems, one is not alone because others have gone through them.

...........................

As ancillary to that, start something to change mindset of the malays. This sounds insidious but it isn't. It's in fact positivating/positivizing(;P).

The kpi is this: in six month's time, twenty percent of the malay population will be made forty percent more cosmopolitan; in one year's time, fifty three percent...and so on.

How to do this and what does being 'cosmopolitan' involve and how to make it measurable?...give it some thought.

Because it has never been thought before.

I have another fifty ideas but it's full moon and i am starting to look strange in the mirror....again.

Anonymous,  7 May 2009 at 17:53  

A good coach picks the best 11 that fits his particular strategy for that particular game...some players are ever presents but some are more suited for specific purposes.

A problem will only arise if ;

1>> The coach has instructions from the sponsors to use some players in all games.
2>>Some players reckon that they're better then any others and should have automatic slots

Then it will be a very disjointed and non united team with players performing for themselves...and of cos team performance will be affected.

Are You Gonna Go My Way,  7 May 2009 at 19:29  

Dato’

“equality in opportunities and not equality in outcomes”

I agree with that statement simply because we aspire different things in life, a great life for a farmer might be seen as mediocre life by a doctor. In Islam the basic needs are a nice house, food on the table and great neighbors…these are what the malay kampong folks been enjoying for hundreds of years…

Peter Drucker once said “outstanding organization continue to succeed when common people achieve uncommon performance”

Organization here could also a mean a country. That taxi driver is a common people and he achieved what he wanted in life because he produced uncommon performance.

An under 15 school boy footballer that can play in an under 17 school team can go far in his career as a footballer but frustration will set in if he is not allowed to play in the senior team because of his school regulation.

Lawyers, doctors, engineers or accountants that can make a decent living is nothing to shout about, however those same people who then become millionaires maybe byway of doing business or becoming a CEOs of big corporation is an achievement. It just shows that we have different aspiration of what we want in our life. People that aspire little in life will not feel the frustration of not being able to become millionaires.

The Malays has been branded as people that are easily fulfilled just having a simple easy going life…nothing wrong with that. But they should never be branded as failure by other races in this country…we have enough of this generalization…

But, there also many Malays that aspire to achieve more….and more…. But once these aspiring Malays started to break the norm and becoming successful and famous and having big business…..the other races started to shout “cronyism” “Tongkats” “NEP” “UMNOputras” “corruption” etc…

Are the Malays stepping into the Chinese guarded territories of wealth just because they as the common people want to achieve uncommon performance?

What should the Malays do to appease these people? Go back to planting padi? Maybe only then will the Malays will be freed from the usual name-calling…

Anonymous,  8 May 2009 at 00:17  

walla,

exactly a knee jerk reaction :to solve the taxi driver's fund raising issue,just give him the funds.

Such moves kills the knife edge that drives a man to work harder..dulls the risk reward equation.And for that 1000 you help;it DISMAYS a few more thousand.

You have to also understand the psyche of the small time businessman i.e. what catalyzes one to go beyond owning one taxi( to a fleet) whereas another guy ambitions is limited to earning just enough cos he prefers to be home before maghrib.

Back to the drawing board.

walla 8 May 2009 at 08:28  

anon 00.17

More than drawing board. Dilemma too.

We want them to have opportunity to start on their own. Even if they are provided with opportunity (permit), they still don't have the means to start (taxi)...so how?

Then if we provide them the means, others in the same plight will also ask and we think we have to give (precedence).

That's why it was suggested to have a year for each ...to space out the wealth distribution.

Right now the same situation also exists in the other communities. They also have people who don't have opportunities. Even sikhs make taxi drivers.

So back to the point. If Umno has wealth, and we want to talk about wealth distribution, why not start there? You don't have to give them the fifty million. Just buy and loan them for free. Or if you want, lease to them at a rate that they can pay back a small amount monthly in order to have more for the family table at the end of the month. But not the present tax, tribute, what not.

To a taxi driver who can't make ends meet, it won't be a knee-jerk reaction. He may see it as a lifesaver. Especially during these times. To the policymakers who will not have that feeling of fifty million in that kitty if it is distributed out, it will be a knee-jerk reaction. Because money in hand is equated to power in mind.

What EXACTLY is needed to be done?

If the man cannot even start with an honest living, how can he proceed to the next level of wealth?

And if we say this is all too utopian, then WHY all the chest and wardrum beatings? Were all those words about the plights of the malays and rants against the others just to increase someone's personal agenda?

An honest answer from someone somewhere? Is that too much to ask?

Driving people around in a city only need know-where. The taxi is the fishing rod. How to catch fish without the rod? How to buy boat after catching many fish, without the rod? How to have a fleet of trawlers on the high seas, and drive big cars to court hourses, after catching many fish in big trawlers, without the rod?

The problem is this: the distribution of fishing rods has been hijacked and mismanaged. Furthermore, using public funds derived from taxing other people. The rest of this paragraph finish yourselves.

Back to looking at the base of the pyramid. To phrase the dilemma:

sum(malay,motivation,means) = f(x)

find x.

Anonymous,  8 May 2009 at 09:34  

walla,

forget about having a big brother that u expect to be there whenever ur in trouble or need some money>>thats the key.

Getting a taxi permit is already a big advantage..

Thus if one fails even after being given a permit..then there's no one to blame but urself.

Having that imaginary big brother provides a convenient bogey man for our failures.The real entrepreneurs realises very early on that there's no free lunch.

For the non-entrepreneurs lets accept a steady monthly wage and a bonus for good performance.

Anonymous,  8 May 2009 at 09:58  

Are You Gonna Go My Way,

How to flush an deeply rooted, indoctrinated craps?

‘But, there also many Malays that aspire to achieve more….and more…. But once these aspiring Malays started to break the norm and becoming successful and famous and having big business…..the other races started to shout “cronyism” “Tongkats” “NEP” “UMNOputras” “corruption” etc…’

NOBODY questions THOSE aspiring Malays who start to break the norm & becoming successful & famous and having big business by THEIR OWN STRIKES!

Question a plenty, when MAJORITY of the current ‘successful’ Malays r actually obtained their ‘achievements’ through “cronyism” “Tongkats” “NEP” “UMNOputras” “corruption” etc…

R u going to denied THAT?

R the millionaires AP kings, the Felda/Felcra shadowy rich boys ( not those land tillers, but those million RM handaran givers). What about the likes of Tajuddins of old MAS, the Halims of Renong? Crowning Malays that aspire to achieve more….and more….on the expenses of the Bangsa M’sia! The cruelest fact been that THESE so called examples of successful Malays, obtained their wealth through the fund most needed to uplift those poor Malay sitting at the lower end of their economic strata!

U r wrong too, about this – ‘Are the Malays stepping into the Chinese guarded territories of wealth just because they as the common people want to achieve uncommon performance?’

In the first place, those activities that these cronies engaged ARE closed to the Chinese. They operated under a protected territories of wealth. So what stepping?

Second, they r COMMON people want to achieve COMMON performance! If they r really into UNCOMMON performance they will be out there to compete, hard & harder with all the Chinese, MatSalleh etc etc. NOT under a protected environment. More so when almost everything is ‘bolih’, irrespective of whether those COMMON performances r physically, economically & socially feasible! Thus their downfalls with just a financial crisis that befell EVERYONE.

‘What should the Malays do to appease these people? Go back to planting padi? Maybe only then will the Malays will be freed from the usual name-calling…’

Yr interpretation? What a crappy outlooks. Always thinking that OTHERS r looking down on u (U, not yr race), without realizing WHY.

Ouch! Someone is really born with full-blown inferiority complex, coupled with an eternal bruised egos of under-achievement.

Anonymous,  8 May 2009 at 10:42  

Ada 3 jenis manusia :-

1) Org yg bekerja dan berusaha tekun dan hidupnya semata2 kerana wang. (bangsa2 lain selain Melayu)

# Segelintir dari kaum ini, masih ada yg miskin dan tidak punya sokongan atau keperihatinan untuk mengadu. Parti komponen tidak menangani, parti musuh menggunakan isu.


2) Org yg malas berusaha tapi mahu duit "terpijak" dan menjadi kaya dengan cepat (motto mereka work smart") Dalam golongan ini ada 2 pecahan lagi :

i) Org2 middle class yg mahu kaya dengan cepat.
ii) Org2 elit yg rasa dia upper class tapi punya ciri2 lower class, dari segi sifat-sifat diri dan hubungan dengan allah.


3) Org yg bekerja menggangap pekerjaan adalah ibadah kepada allah, berusaha tekun dan melaksanakan perniagaan atas ciri2 islam. Ada 3 pecahan lagi :-

i) Bumi yg baru belajar berniaga. (Mereka yg punya kelulusan;)dan

ii) Bumi yg tidak punya kelulusan tinggi)

iii)Bumi yg telah berjaya.

Klasifikasi di atas adalam didalam konteks malaysia melalui pemerhatian saya.

Taxi driver dalam perbincangan artikel adalah dalam kelompok 3(ii).

Yang kurang mendapat keberkesanan NEP, tetapi melalui usaha sendiri adalah dalam kelompok 3 (i) 3(ii)

Kelompok yg menyalahguna NEP adalah dalam kumpulan 2(i) dan 2(ii).

Ada juga segelintir dalam kumpulan (1) # yg miskin, tapi rajin bekerja dgn cara mereka sendiri, samada berkebun sayur dan lain2.


Manakala , kelompok yg mempertikaikan NEP samada kerana tidak mahu Melayu berjaya, ingin menguasai negara setelah berjaya dalam ekonomi adalah dalam kumpulan (1). Kerana sedikit sebanyak NEP telah paling tidak, telah sedikit berjaya mengeluarkan sebilangan kecil melayu menjadi peniaga2 peringkat sederhana dan kecilan.

Perkara ini menjadi isu politik oleh golongan tertentu untuk mengucar-kacirkan atau menggoyah kedudukan org melayu termasuk NEP atas sebab2 kepentingan peribadi. Dan ini mendapat sokongan besar dari musuh BN. Perkara ini diperpanjang dgn hal2 lain yg meledakkan kemarahan org ramai yg selama ini berdiam diri. Ini termasuk melayu yg tersisih kerana NEP utk golongan tertentu, bangsa lain yg tertekan atas isu2 lain yg mereka rasa tidak adil. PAS yg tidak sefahaman dari segi agama.

Mereka yg bergabung atas sebab masing2 yg berlainan antara satu sama lain punya masalah mereka sendiri. tapi punya objektif satu, iaitu menjatuhkan BN. Untuk menjatuhkan BN mereka "terpaksa rela" untuk mencapai cita2 objektif yg satu dan sekali gus mengambil alih negara!

Cuba anda bayangkan bagaimana Malaysia dengan keadaan yg berlaku di Perak.! Allah perlihatkan natijah dalam bentuk kecil, iaitu dalam sebuah negeri. Kalau ini tak ambil iktibar. Nauzubillah! Good luck for Malaysia.

Bagaimanapun, jika masalah mereka2 yg tak puas hati dapat ditangani oleh kerajaan, saya percaya segalanya akan beransur2 pulih dan sudah pastinya dalam UMNO sendiri, sayugia elakkan perpecahan. Tapi, malangnya, dalam UMNO sendiri ada kader2 dari golongan (1). Cuma mereka ini adalah Bumi pula! Apa sebab mereka. Tanyalah mereka! Pasti mereka punya jawapan2 menarik untuk anda, tapi masih ada juga yg tidak setuju.

Inilah masalah dalam dunia sekarang ini. Nak kiamatkah agaknya?

Anonymous,  8 May 2009 at 10:54  

Just before THOSE BTN bigots start to get restless & run amok, here a story;

I happen to like burger. Not the Mc or KFC type.

Heard of Ramli Burger?

Now, that's a real Malay entrepreneurship that ALL aspiring Malays should read from cover to cover.

Because Ramli's is the epitome of 'when common people achieve uncommon performance'!

Ramli is a common Malay & yet achieve success within a crowded field of burger market, where big boys, real international big boys, r muscled all over. If this is no uncommon performance than WHAT is?

It also proved that simple Malay can achieve as much if he put his heart & soul to fight for it.

In his early days, he got NO helps. Not even MARA. Now, almost every other Malays, who have some links with the power want some cuts for 'favours/helps' to expand the business.

Malay helping Malay? Go figure yr self.

I known. Bcoz when Ramli was just a burger stall at Jln TAR, I already knew him.

Anonymous,  8 May 2009 at 11:15  

Are You Gonna Go My Way,

Don't just say but give us some examples of successful Malays who succeeded through their own hard work who the other races labeled their success as due to “cronyism” “Tongkats” “NEP” “UMNOputras” “corruption” etc…

Unknown 8 May 2009 at 12:53  

Anon 08 May 2009 10:42

Satu pendapat yang bernas.

Saya amat setuju.

Icarius 8 May 2009 at 13:20  

Walla has such a holistic view that he should be put into at least an influential position to help the country. While I may ask some right questions, Walla and Sak often have the right answers. Perhaps one day, Sak and Walla may become government.

While I agree with the fishing rod, boat, etc, what I like to add on is that it may not be sufficient to merely give a rod to the fisherman. We have to find ways to ensure the fish he catches has good economic value for him. (Fish has good economic value at the (re)tail end of the chain, but not necessarily true for the fisherman at the beginning of the chain).

Are You Gonna Go My Way asked:
"Are the Malays stepping into the Chinese guarded territories of wealth just because they as the common people want to achieve uncommon performance?
What should the Malays do to appease these people? Go back to planting padi? Maybe only then will the Malays will be freed from the usual name-calling…"

It has nothing to do with race. It's got to do with restrictions. And many of the restrictions constrains the Malays as much as other races.

Why is it that the rice farmer (regardless of race) earns so little relative to the price we pay for rice (or other farm produce for that matter)?

First set of questions -
I have no statistics, but I'll make a guess that the retail price of Rice is 5 to 10 times the ex-farm price. Why is this so? Who profited from the price difference? How many layers before it reaches the retailer. Can the layers be reduced? What are the value-adds that are worth 4-9 times the effort of the farmer? Can the difference be reduced? (I am sure you can change the questions a little bit to apply it to the taxi driver)

Second set of questions - How can they earn more? Can they produced more, in quantity(farmer), in variety(taxi-driver with peak hour surcharge or farmer with better quality rice)?

How is it that Taxi drivers and farmers in Developed Countries can send their children to Universities while we (the supposedly higher income white-collar workers) still have a hard time?

It is not enough to have a hardworking taxi-driver or farmer as long as we continue to have mechanisms in place that reduces his income. Eventually, the result will be either no more taxi-drivers or drivers who demand a negotiated fee (as mentioned by Walla in an earlier post). Not because they are unethical nor unprofessional, but because they can't survive economically otherwise.

An for Anon 9:34, it is not about some guy failing after getting the permit. It is about those that are profiteering (is this the right word?) without producing anything.
Do those that get permits do anything to add-value to the taxi-drivers? If they do, are their fees inline with the effort and skills required? Or is it merely a charge for having the "rights" to the permit?

He gets a permit for a fee and rents it out at a profit. What did he produce? The poor taxi driver now has to incur a new expense. Why? Can the permits be issued directly to the taxi-driver?

Do we want taxi-drivers and farmers to have a reasonable income just like us ? Do their children have the same rights as ours? such as getting a good education and living in a safe neighbourhood?

What should be done so taxi-driving and farming become a profession practiced with pride and ethics, as much as an accountant or lawyer?

So it is perhaps our social responsibility to develop and protect these professions. Everyone knows that we need the farmer (you eat more than once a day!) more than the lawyer (apologies to lawyers, not that we dont need lawyers, just that we need farmers more).

We know about market forces; that people will pay what they deem is fair price for the goods and services. So maybe we cannot change too drastically the selling price (take Oil Price Hike as example).

But there are leakages of causing inflated cost in the links between the producer and the consumer. We have to reduce these leakages which are undermining the value for the producer.

And one big cause of these leakages are the restrictive policies of permits, concessions, etc. So why were these policies in place? Who are they supposed to protect and who do they actually protect?

Are You Gonna Go My Way,  8 May 2009 at 17:26  

Take this scenario……

I know Dato Sak personally and he knows PM Najib personally , I asked Dato to set an appointment with PM because I have a proposal regarding IT system for Kementerian Pertahanan. Najib likes my proposal and I got the contract worth 30Million.

My partner who is a Chinese businessman with some extra cash finances my project. I then get 40% shares from the profits of 10 million. So I get 4million into my pocket. Does that make me a crony? NEP profiteering? Tongkats?

With that 4million I setup another venture a tongkat ali and kacip fatimah business. I make another 20million selling this aphrodisiac. Just like Ramlee Burger this is consumer product.

There are other examples of successful millionaires Malay business selling consumer products.

Anonymous,  9 May 2009 at 10:56  

You can't make entrepreneurs out of non entrepreneurs.Thats the point that I was trying to make..

1>> those given taxi permits will somehow get the taxis on the road if they are genuine Entrepreneurs..
2>>For the non entrepreneurial taxi drivers...a separate scheme whereby they should be "paid employees" of a TAXI company..with minimum wages and a bonus/commission scheme such that if they work hard enough they can earn much better.FYI Bluebird in Indonesia have such schemes and the taxis are impeccable..the drivers are honest/neat and never tries a con.And they stay with the company for years and extremely proud of being BlueBird employees.

The current lease system is downright illogical esp with the Rm 500 pure permit rental even after one hv paid for the taxi.

Anonymous,  9 May 2009 at 23:43  

are u gonna etc ...

2 comments on ur scenario..

1>>why must it always be a Chinese partner?No Malays with the cash and vision to invest in ur project?
2>>why always go for traditional very malay products?with 4m to invest,i would hv thot that u will be looking at higher value add products addressing a more glokal market.Especially,when ur expertise is in IT and having established a niche in the business u choose to go herbalistic.Odd diversification and sadly not building on ur core competencies/experience.

Guess that mirrors the mindset...even when role playing it shows thru

Are You Gonna Go My Way,  10 May 2009 at 13:40  

thats my point....none..nil..malay..to invest in my project...
this is not role play..this is real...

my tongkat ali and kacip fatimah...is selling glokal...millions of order from the usa and china...

IT is not my core business..I just happened to be at the right place at the right time..and with najib's and dato Sak's help...I got the job. Now that I have enough money to do what ever I want...I wont ask Dato Sak's help anymore...I am now independent and dont need a tongkat anymore...

I guess I am..just a crony after all....Now you're free to brand me whatever you want...BTN,Tongkats,umnoputra..etc...
I have the money already...

Anonymous,  11 May 2009 at 13:14  

Are you Gonna Go My Way

That would seem like a major problem if you cannot get a Malay to invest in your business if the profit is 33%. Perhaps this really mirrors the problems Malays are facing even with the NEP. So the in a way, non-Malays are helping to make the NEP a success, at least for some of you.
This then makes it an issue of getting Malays to support Malays to make the NEP a success. So those theories of Chinese and Indians having thousands of years of business experience from their forefathers goes down the drain, don't you think ?

Are You Gonna Go My Way,  11 May 2009 at 17:14  

correction my dear friend....its not NEP at work...its networking..

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