Synopsis For Chapter 2(Multimedia City)

Chapter 2 – Multimedia City

I was hesitant when offered a job to work at my father’s Roadbuilder, a construction company. The idea of being associated with my father, for my capability in this construction company, was far from my liking. I followed my brother-in-law advice, by listing down my weakness, which includes - lack of experience in the industry, careless and lousy handwriting - to help me in making decision on the offer. Much to my surprise, the weaknesses that have been listed were favoured by Chua Hock Chin.

Chua Hock Chin had made one thing clear – despite lack of experience in construction industry; my previous stint in CIMB has helped a lot. Having contacts with people from EPU while working at CIMB seemed like a good asset, however the type of relationships did not. This contact was merely a social relationship; but at Roadbuiders the contact was of different nature. The contacts were important that grew proportionately with the business growth. Here, I knew the trick and trade of exactly running a profitable and competitive business. In short, the culture at Roadbuilder was totally different and challenging that prepared me well to be successful at Skali. The relationship has to be built on professional basis; however injecting some punch lines appropriately seems to work.

The first taste of being an entrepreneur surfaced out when we, at Roadbuilder have to compete with DRB, in securing two major projects. Instead of winning them both or nothing, I approached EPU, and requested for those privatization split into two. Yes this is entrepreneur cliché, a piece of cake divided so that everyone gets the share!

I was approached by Syed Jalaludin of UPM on a project, not necessarily agricultural basis.
Again, the fact that good relationship led to business opportunity, came to test when I had to get my cousin who worked in MIMOS involved. The argument of nepotism and cronyism may linger but the true fact is, I cannot be blamed if my cousin is there – as we work in a small circle and we are practically there in the circle.

We decided to built a cluster of research centres, and while doing so, we met a lot of important persons including Ariff Nun of MDC, Mohamad Awang Lah 0f CEO Jaring. While Arif was quite hilarious, Mohamad Awang Lah was opposite.

The idea of setting up Multimedia City did not go smooth in 1996, having rejection from EPU and MDC chairman; despite having the “good relationships”. Feeling dejected at first, I wrote to Dr Mahathir, then the prime minister of Malaysia, with good preparation. It was in 1997 that the asian countries was hit with economic crisis.