Tun Musa: Dare to make a difference
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has tried to spot and dive into the blue ocean but so far, real success has alluded it, said former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam.
He said that for Malaysia to achieve its ambition of doubling the present per capita income of US$7,000, the private sector had to grow by 12% a year from 2011 to 2020. Over the last 10 years, the private sector has only contributed 2% per annum.
"To do this, we must find the gaps in the marketplace. We must find our relevance and make a difference.
"The first recommendation I will make for any successful business is to establish a strong core and to stay focused," Musa said at the KL International Trade Forum on Business Unusual.
He joked that the statement probably sounded funny coming from him, especially as he was the chairman of troubled conglomerate Sime Darby Bhd. On Sime Darby, he said: "We are going ahead to do it, and insya Allah (God willing), we will succeed. Come to our AGM on Nov 16."
Musa added that business opportunities abound and it was up to the companies whether to take the small sedate steps and stay with the rest of the pack.
"AirAsia chief, (Datuk Seri) Tony Fernandes, first bought a company for RM1 and took on all its debts. He was even seen lugging the passenger's luggage to the plane. He did crazy and unusual things and started the tagline ‘Now Everybody Can Fly'. That is business unusual," he explained.
Musa added that 10 years ago, Googling was not a word. Today, it is a way of life but back then, it was business unusual.
"History is littered with great people who lived mundane life like everybody. However, they managed themselves and their businesses unusually, and stayed ahead of the pack. They did things that took them to the next level of unusuality."
Musa said it was a natural protective instinct for people to herd and retreat into packs because subconsciously, people believed that large numbers were safer. This extended to all aspects of life.
"While it feels safer to be in a group, you will however never stand out. To be different and unusual, you must break away from the pack. After all, the only constant apart from death is change," he said
By TEE LIN SAY
linsay@thestar.com.my
He said that for Malaysia to achieve its ambition of doubling the present per capita income of US$7,000, the private sector had to grow by 12% a year from 2011 to 2020. Over the last 10 years, the private sector has only contributed 2% per annum."To do this, we must find the gaps in the marketplace. We must find our relevance and make a difference.
"The first recommendation I will make for any successful business is to establish a strong core and to stay focused," Musa said at the KL International Trade Forum on Business Unusual.
He joked that the statement probably sounded funny coming from him, especially as he was the chairman of troubled conglomerate Sime Darby Bhd. On Sime Darby, he said: "We are going ahead to do it, and insya Allah (God willing), we will succeed. Come to our AGM on Nov 16."
Musa added that business opportunities abound and it was up to the companies whether to take the small sedate steps and stay with the rest of the pack.
"AirAsia chief, (Datuk Seri) Tony Fernandes, first bought a company for RM1 and took on all its debts. He was even seen lugging the passenger's luggage to the plane. He did crazy and unusual things and started the tagline ‘Now Everybody Can Fly'. That is business unusual," he explained.
Musa added that 10 years ago, Googling was not a word. Today, it is a way of life but back then, it was business unusual.
"History is littered with great people who lived mundane life like everybody. However, they managed themselves and their businesses unusually, and stayed ahead of the pack. They did things that took them to the next level of unusuality."
Musa said it was a natural protective instinct for people to herd and retreat into packs because subconsciously, people believed that large numbers were safer. This extended to all aspects of life.
"While it feels safer to be in a group, you will however never stand out. To be different and unusual, you must break away from the pack. After all, the only constant apart from death is change," he said
By TEE LIN SAY
linsay@thestar.com.my
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