What could be wrong for the Chief Minister to double up as the Tourism & Investment Ambassador for Penang when he goes on trade and overseas missions to sell the state as the choice destination for the overseas markets -- and all expenses paid for by the host countries?
But our Barisan Nasional people just miss the point. Obviously, they are not so used to being in the Opposition.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng delivering a keynote address at the Asia Pacific Tourism Investment Conference (APTIC) and Exposition 2008 in Seoul, October 30, titled: "Sustainable Tourism Development in a Heritage Environment — the Penang Story"... LensaPress photo by Jeff Ooi
After having helmed the Penang state for 34 years as a coalition since 1974 till 2008, there is enough historical proof for me to believe that the Gerakan-led Barisan Nasional has been a lame force in generating ideas and future-looking policies and governance. They had good people around but devils rule because good men did nothing.
On the other hand, I had also thought that, by relegating them into the political minority in the state -- the whole bunch of them, Koh Tsu Koon's Gerakan included -- they will lick their GE2008 wounds and perform better as the been-there, done-that type of ruling party (but now the Opposition) to do larger good for Penangites.
But I was wrong, dead wrong. Old dogs could not learn new tricks. Some in the likes of the Umno's ball-carrying ex-MP, Huan Cheng Guan, are a political scoundrel good at plainly anjing menyalak bukit. Nothing more, nothing less.
Huan is symbolic and iconic of how the present Gerakan senior leadership sucks up to Umno for a life-support system.
For the record, Huan is an esteemed Vice President of Gerakan elected by its national delegates and yet nowadays, at least officially, he lowers himself to earn his keeps as an office-boy for the BN Back-benchers Club, carrying the title of 'executive secretary'. Huan should have shown publicly -- and chin up -- that his livelihood is not hinged to the Umno gravy-train.
This time, he couldn't wait for the Penang state government's investment-inducing trip to South Korea (October 28 - November 1, including two days of travelling to-and-fro) to complete its course and hastily he asked: “The Koreans are now busy rescuing their own companies; do you think they have time for us? (Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng should take care of his own backyard and ensure that everything is in order before leaving the country.”
And Huan's masters in Umno hastened to join in the fray not a single minute too late. Quote The Star on the day Huan went to Press:
Penang Umno liaison committee deputy chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah questioned the need for such a big delegation, saying the largest entourage the previous state administration had ever handled was only 25 people.
“The DAP criticised the previous Barisan Nasional administration for allegedly not doing anything right but now they are keeping quiet when spending taxpayers’ money.
“What has happened to their much talked about Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT) system? Has Guan Eng ever told the people that he travelled Business Class or First Class whenever he goes on official overseas trips?” he asked.
Verily, Umno leaders in Penang used to travel on quota basis with the former chief minister who is now persona non-grata to Penang Umno itself. The records in Penang state government must have expenses records to support this, you just need to search for the proof.
To these Umno goons, overseas travels means First Class cabin, and the R&R programmes. Kind of a (more) cuti (less) sambil belajar quota system and rewards by any standard and opportunity.
But not for us under the present government. We travelled on restricted category of economy class flights, which means the lowest fare possible, and we stayed in budget-class hotel with no shampoo and shower gel supplied. It costs about US$65 per room not when the going price around the metropolitan COEX region of Seoul is around US$400 per room night.
危机 (wei ji) -- Looking out for silver linings
I am not sure if Huan's MBA is studied for or was bought from a business school of lesser reputation, but he showed his naivette when he uttered: "The Koreans are now busy rescuing their own companies; do you think they have time for us?"
Indeed, a South Korean minister expressed his surprise that Penang was bold in looking out for opportunities within crisis times. The Chinese phrase "wei ji" ( 危机）, which was inferred to by Korea's First Deputy Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture, precisely denotes that there are ample opportunities in the midst of crisis.
Lim Guan Eng leading his Penang team to pay a courtesy call on Korea's Ministry of Tourism, Sports & Tourism... LensaPress by Jeff Ooi
There you are Huan, how much you understood the age-old Asian psyche and wisdom of modern management.
In Korea, we specifically looked for opportunities in selling MM2H tourism-related products, investments in technology sectors, seeding new openings in the hospitality and service industries, and executed several initiatives in media and trade relations.
US$100m INVESTMENT IN BATU KAWAN
History is the perfect chronicle of truth. While Huan was rotting away his opportunity as the former MP for Batu Kawan (2004 - 2008), this government delivers when he failed to get done during his time. On October 30, a MoU to develop an international-class golf course resort on a piece of 400-acre land in Batu Kawan was sealed between the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and DK ENC of South Korea, which has been instrument in developing a 52-hole golf resort in Hanoi.
The development project worth an investment of US$100 million will be completed by 2011. We hope to attract Korean golfers and holiday-makers besides providing jobs and boosting local consumption in the Penang state's economy.
Guan Eng witnessing of the singing of the MoU between the PDC represented by its general manager Datuk Rosli Jaaffar, and Mr Jang Chin-Hyuk of DK ENC.
Guan Eng proposing a toast to fellow Korean investors for stronger business ties with Penang in the near future... LensaPress photo by Jeff Ooi
Back in Malaysia, the local press recorded that the signing of the MoU for the RM350mil (US$100mil) golf course in Batu Kawan is testament of South Korean investors’ confidence in Penang’s future.
The MoU signing ceremony was attended by the chief executives of the two foremost TV stations in Korea, the MBC which produced the immensely successful costumed series Dae-chang-gum, and the SBC.
TECHNOLOGY SECTOR
High-end technology continues to be our key focus to replace the labour intensive LVO (Large Volume Output manufacturing industries that had been showing critical signs of lost lustre before we booted out the Tsu Koon administration in GE2008.
In between, we also took time off to visit two key technology entities while we were promoting Penang in Korea. Apart from the courtesy calls, we made sure the Chief Minister has close-door frank talks with the head honchos -- a schedule purposefully drawn up months in advance.
However, due to competitive reasons, I am not in a position to disclose critical information about these visits.
The official visit to Samsung Electronics HQ in Suwon. On the right is Samsung Group Malaysia President, Datuk Lee Sang Bai
H.D. Lee (4th from right), president of B. Braun Asia Pacific, greets the Penang team at its Korean HQ... LensaPress photos by Jeff Ooi
MICE -- WORLD-CLASS CONVENTION CENTRE
There has been much press about Penang setting its eyes on a world-class facilities that can house modern-day meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) events. We visited the senior management of COEX, Korea's foremost convention and exposition managers, to collate input for our Penang plan.
The Penang team was warmly received by Mr Park Chong-Man, the senior executive vice president of COEX
MEDIA & TRADE RELATIONS A MUST FOR KOREAN MARKET
Our first visit to South Korea in May stunned us because visibility of Penang as a superb destination for tourism and investment was least understood by the Koreans. In fact South Koreans, especially the golfers and honeymooning newly-weds, are fondly closer to and more familiar with Kota Kinabalu as their choice destination compared to Penang. Look, how badly Penang has been marketed all these years!
Guan Eng took time to engage the local media in order to "sell" Penang to the Koreans.
Engaging the print media in Seoul
One more interesting news is that the Chinese community, predominantly comprising immigrants from the neighbouring Shandung province of People's Republic of China, has reached its second and third generations as neutralised residents in South Korea.
I know of one of them who was instrumental in creating the Seoul-Kota Kinabalu route for the tourism industry there, and he happens to be a vice president of the Korean Chinese Chamber of Commerce. A courtesy call and forging of networking is definitely a worthy investment.
A token of warm friendship in the form of "Penang in Snapshots", from Guan Eng to the KCCC... LensaPress photos by Jeff Ooi
MALAYSIA MY 2ND HOME (MM2H)
Having been involved in the planning and execution of the trade mission, I personally am convinced that a private sector working closely hand-in-hand with the state government in foreign trade missions will garner a lot of confidence among overseas investors who have heard of this CAT (Competency, Accountability, Transparency) government that differentiates from the corruption and cronyism-infested government of the past.
This is demonstrated by the active participation of enterprising private entities active in Penang, namely Property developers Eastern & Oriental Bhd and E&O Hotels, SP Setia Bhd, Hunza Properties Bhd, Ideal Property Intelligence Sdn Bhd and the Penang Health Association. They joined hands as integral components of the Penang Pavilion organised by InvestPenang.
Guan Eng playing the role of Penang's Tourism & Investment Ambassador at the InvestPenang pavilion at APTIC & Expo 2008. At the centre is Joseph S. Chiang, President of Hong Kong-based Lippo Incheon Development Ltd.
Penang's Tourism & Investment Ambassador at the E&O Booth at APTIC. Looking on from right are E&O Group Chief Executive Terry Tham and E&O Hotel General Manager Michael Saxon
Again, Guan Eng playing the role of Penang's Tourism & Investment Ambassador at the Hunza-Paragon Booth at APTIC. Looking on at the left is Daisy Ooi, executive director from Hunza Berhad... LensaPress photo by Jeff Ooi
Besides attracting investors from Korea, our key objective is to promote Penang as the choice location for Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, a long-term effort initiated by Tourism Malaysia.
I hope Gerakan and Umno should stop insulting our private sector by accusing them of wasting taxpayers' money, because their combined 42-member delegation was paid for through their own pockets. Huan and Rashid indeed should apologise for accusing and insulting the private sector that had wanted to cooperate and collaborate with the new Penang state government.
Continue reading "Gerakan and Umno... the Opposition in new Penang" »
With the tagline 'Great Stories, Global News', the Jakarta Globe runs six days a week in 48 full colour pages packed in three sections -- main news & My Jakarta metro news, Business & Sports, and Life & Times. Cover price is Rp 8,500.
In the commentary titled: 
