Saturday, February 17, 2007

Countdown II

It certainly has been a busy week. There was work in the office, a trip to Singapore and finally a ride back to hometown in Batu Pahat. Hence, once again, it has been quiet week for blogging both here and at Education in Malaysia.

I've written earlier that a month ago, I've disposed of all my interest in the company which I founded. Last Thursday, I've handed in my resignation as the Director and Chief Executive Officer effectively ending my 10-year association with the company. To a certain extent, I've achieved my ambition of financial retirement by the age of 35, albeit after a 5-year delay. ;)

It is my wish here that the new management of the company will take the company to greater heights. And it is certainly my hope that they will never have to face some of the toughest years I faced in the information technology (IT) industry both pre- and post-listing on the Singapore Exchange.

However, not all the toughest years were necessarily caused by the economic environment (although it certainly didn't help). In various bids to grow the company and expand it's scope and operations, there has certainly been various missteps along the way which exacerbated the difficult years. But such mistakes are always easy to identify on hindsight, and the experience could only have made us stronger, having survived them.

It is therefore important for the new management to ensure that the mistakes are not repeated. With a much more stable financial footing achieved in the past year, as well as precious lessons learnt from the past, I'm optimistic that the new team will be able to take the company to new heights, heights which I could only wish I have achieved during my tenure with the company. ;) I would certainly wish them all the best.

Looking forward, there's appears to be plenty that I'll be doing. To a certain extent, a little bit of me must have been hoping that I can now visit the golf courses on a daily basis. After all, I've hardly walked on one for the past year or so. My clubs and a fairly new pair of golf shoes have been lying idle for quite a while. But it appears that such dreams will continue to take the back seat for the moment.

The Descartes Education Counselling Centre (DECC) is one of the little personal projects which I'm starting post-'retirement'. I've blogged about it here, and I've received some very good responses to date – keep them coming. (I'll get back to all who have responded right after the Chinese New Year).

But as some of you have already known, it is not the only project I'm looking forward to, which will keep me busier than ever. I have been informed that Jocelin Tan (who did an interview with me) will be publishing this development in the Star tomorrow (Sunday 18th February). So remember to get your Chinese New Year copy! ;)

I'll blog more about it in due course ;) Thanks for reading.

10 comments:

zewt said...

All the best in your future endeavours.

Boss Stewie said...

good luck tony!

gong xi fa cai to you

Anonymous said...

Tony, proud of u. DAP is your next destination. GO GO GO !!!

Unknown said...

best wishes in your new place with DAP. Hope you can survive the rough and tumble in politics.

have a great CNY.

Anonymous said...

no harm striking,
soldier On!

Anonymous said...

you didn't gimme the green light to run my story, i only knew from your blog when you mentioned joceline! teruklah you.

:)

anyway, hope the story was good. happy chinese new year to you and the family :)

Anonymous said...

Dear Tony, wish you all the best in oppositon politics. Democracy is badly needed in this country. I believe you can do something serious for the people and society. I will certainly vote for you and DAP! God bless you! Happy Chinese New Year! Ordinary citizen of Malaysia.

Anonymous said...

Was linked to your PPE blog while reading LKS's.

Will you be showing your readers pictures of your new office as well ?

just curious..

Anonymous said...

对潘俭伟的少少期许 - Friday, March 02, 2007

记者:张永麒

青年企业家潘俭伟日前以高姿态受委任为民主行动党秘书长经济顾问,正式开始他弃商从政的生涯,为了他的理想,即协助打造一个更美好的国家而努力。

他在大马政坛的出现,的确引起新闻界很大的兴趣。其实,他挟着『最年轻上市公司首席执行员』 的光环,以及牛津大学的教育背景,可以轻易的让他加入执政党,而且,如果遵循党领导层的意思办事,即可轻易的享有平步青云的机会。

但是,他却选择反对党的斗争路线,这是一个令人感好奇的决定。他提出了他的理由,这表示他有和一般人所不同的想法,不按照社会一般的牌理做事,突现他的理想主义,以及不随波逐流。

他的学术资格是不必质疑的,但是,经营政党政治,和经营商业机构是完全不同的。从一个商业环境转变到一个政治斗争的环境,需要的是不一样的交际手腕,以及很多的容忍和妥协,绝对不是商业机构的以利益为标准的方程式。

对于民主行动党的政党政治,他能不能够适应是重要的关键。虽然作为秘书长的经济顾问,但是,还是无可避免的必须凭借本身的政治实力和影响力,以在党内稳住阵脚,随后拓展在党外的政治力量,取得民众的接受。

政坛是非常现实的,凭借过去的记录,可能可以让你的加入而加分,但是,并不能够让你以后平步青云,或者达成你的目标、理想。在这个过程中,牺牲是无可避免的,而牺牲了什么,却又是值得商榷的。

经过和他接触后,发现他的确是拥有成为出色政治人物的过人之处。他在演说上是蛮有感染力的,个人也有很强的亲和力,他或许可以成为一名魅力型的政治领袖,可以发动群众的力量,制造一种气势,带动一个风潮,为国家带来一个积极的改变。

过去,行动党也曾有过许多杰出的领袖,但是,后来却因一些原因而选择离开,在行动党和反对阵营里造成一个很严重的真空。现在,行动党在积极招揽人才当儿,只希望他们不是昙花一现,因为政党政治或者其他理由而黯然离开。

由于现有的领袖无法满足人民的要求,我们期待年轻一代领袖的出现,以填补这个真空。我们对新一代领袖的寄望非常高,希望他们可以带我们走出我们目前所面对的窘境。

我们希望他们是引领我们向前走,而不是以历史来钳制我们的步伐,以达到个人的政治议程。在过去一年,我们看到有一些年轻领袖,企图以历史来钳制我们的前进,而且,他们的影响力也越来越大,我们必须要阻遏这个影响力的扩张。

因此,潘俭伟的出现,带给我们一个希望,通过理性的专业辩论,去平衡以情绪作为诉求和煽动的政治人物。

更重要的,他可以从一个知识分子的角度,为政府的政策提供一个替代的看法,以填补社会知识分子纷纷出走所遗漏下的真空。

http://www.orientaldaily.com.my/news_item.asp?NewsID=4861

Anonymous said...

Welcome home Tony....What will happen to the education portals? Who bought your shares Tony? A Malaysian? Will your company still operate in Malaysia?