LET YOURSELF SURROUNDED BY TALENTS ACROSS SECTORS/INDUSTRIES.

I have little time to write new piece. Tie-up with the new responsibility. However, to my "readers", i share with your, some of my earlier job for your amusement. Enjoy

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At about a month ago, my mentor texted me and asking whether we could meet. Lots to catch up, he said. Out of many great men I know, my mentor is for me, one of the most respected and talented man. Abg Zahrain.

He used to be my classmate during my MBA time at UNIRAZAK. He is a PTD, a senior officer from the sacred line of elite and multi-talented public sector scheme. As I have utmost respect with this sacred profession through my father, Mr Omar Mohamed and baby brother, Azam, for them were/are PTDs, Abg Zahrain solidified my believe that those who hailed from this elite group, are indeed brilliant and important backbone of nation's development.

Abg Zahrain as a brother, up until know, advising me and supporting me. I always consult with him on my life, career and sometime love. And as a big brother that I never has, he always there for me. I thank Allah SWT for giving me such a mentor/brother/friend like him.

So, a month ago, he texted me. Usually, when he texted and asking for a meeting, he wanted to know or confirm on something. Back then, MAS issue is started to gain media attention. Many became analyst and provide "expert" opinion about that matter. Well, since we graduated from our MBA, Abg Zahrain reach me when it come to MAS. One day, both us through phone, scrutinising MAS Cash Flow Statement in order to understand more. Abg Zahrain's job is very sensitive and he is entrusted to advise and support one of the three pillar of Perkhidmatan Awam, I personally called them the "Three Kings" of PTD.

So, again, without fail, during the Khazanah's proposal to de-list MAS and taking it private, Abg Zahrain asked my opinion on what could be Khazanah's suggestions, some of his ministry's suggestions and potential impact to the industry and nation as a whole.

Then, I remembered, that I have a bestfriend, who is very passionate about MAS. My friend, Syairazi has very unique feelings towards MAS. If PTD has a sentimental value towards me, for Syai, it is MAS. His father is a long-time MAS employee and evidently, he feels that he grew up and becoming a man right now is partly reasons from MAS. Syai has a lot of ideas and opinion about MAS's revamp and "true north" direction. He once served as an executive in MAS, and directly mentored by the great Danny Rashdan, MAS's former Executive Director and Khazanah's top corporate strategist.

Due to his extensive experience on MAS, I feel I have to let Syai express his opinion to Abg Zahrain. So I had an idea to gather and group certain personnel that I know possessed great exp in private and public sectors. So I created the Whatsapp group and invited Abg Zahrain, Syai and many others.

In that group, I manage to persuade my other friends that hailed from great companies in Malaysia. Petronas, Axiata, Malakoff and Proton to name few. In that group, I realise I am a friend to all this people. I am blessed with these great minds to help me and support me. I have friends from various industries, be it Oil and Gas, Telco, Power Utilities, Automotive, HR services, Banking and Investment, PTDS and others.

In that group, we discuss extensively on MAS, carefully dissecting the rumors and reports. Syai shares his exp on MAS operation, and debated on many ground such as financial, ethical, moral and nation's building. The gain I received is monumental, as views from many angles are discussed, debated and reviewed. All this provide a unique insight for Abg Zahrain and others later on.

I plan to keep the group open. I called "Strategic Advisory Chat". Next in hand is the budget, most of the group's team members are in the "upper middle income" and few already in the "high income" bracket. Budget usually invited many voices of different tone. I hope the group will be the place for us to discuss and benefit each others.

As for myself, I am honored and lucky to have these talents around me. I feel so lucky and proud to have this group of great minds as my friends. They are my counsellors, think-tank and advisors. I am forever indebted by their genuine expertise and knowledge. I know by surrounding myself with this great minds, I will be well informed, well connected and well updated. It is good for the long run and a great motivation to upgrade myself in order to reach and be at par with them.

excerpt from

https://www.facebook.com/notes/azwan-bin-omar/let-yourself-surrounded-by-talents-across-sectorsindustries/10152275908311835

KERAJAAN HARUS DENGAR SUARA HATI BAKAT-BAKAT MUDA DI DALAM PERKHIDMATAN AWAM.

Ini adalah sedikit daripada nukilan saya sewaktu Kempen tempoh hari. Hari ini saya tergerak hati untuk memuatkannya di blog saya. Bacalah...
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As-salamualaikum dan Salam Sejahtera,

Rakan-rakan...

Hujung minggu ini, satu keluarga dapat berkumpul. Niatnya untuk menyambut sambutan hari Ulang tahun adik yang terlepas tempoh hari. Adik lelaki saya serta isteri dan anak2 nya turut hadir. Alhamdulillah, dapat lepas rindu yang amat pada anak2 buah saya.

Untuk makluman rakan-rakan, keluarga saya hanya keluarga sederhana, kelas menengah. Ayah dan Mama saya persara kerajaan. Adik lelaki saya kini menyambung kerjaya murni Ayah saya sebagai seorang PTD di Putrajaya. Adik perempuan saya juga penjawat Awam di Kuala Lumpur. Hanya saya yang tidak berpeluang berkhidmat di sektor awam.

Sempat berbual dengan adik lelaki saya mengenai peluang kempen Parlimen Belia saya. Adik saya adalah PTD muda yang berbakat, saya yakin beliau akan memberikan nilai tambah yang terbaik untuk kementeriannya.

Kami menyentuh mengenai kebergantungan tinggi Kerajaan terhadap Perunding-Perunding Pengurusan (Management Consultants) seperti PEMANDU, McKinsey, BCG, Ethos dan lain-lain, di dalam pembuatan dasar yang selama ini dilaksanakan sepenuhnya oleh pegawai-pegawai PTD dan lain-lain professional di dalam sektor awam.

Ayah saya, seorang bekas PTD juga memaklumkan, dahulu, di era Tun Mahathir, Tun sendiri amat percaya pada PTD/Penjawat Awam untuk membantu kabinet merangka dasar negara. Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, bekas KSU and PTD yang terkenal, Tan Sri Sulaiman Mahbob, bekas Ketua Pengarah EPU dan PTD, juga mengesahkan, dahulu sekiranya pihak Kerajaan tidak mempunyai kepakaran sesuatu isu, barulah perunding luar digunakan.

Hal ini membimbangkan ramai PTD-PTD muda. Saya mempunyai ramai rakan-rakan PTD, hampir semuanya bersetuju dan bimbang trend ini akan berterusan dan mereka hilang relevan di dalam pembuatan dasar nasional.

PTD-PTD muda kebanyakan dilantik dari kelompok yang terbaik dikalangan terbaik. Sebahagian besar adalah graduan tajaan JPA dari Universiti-universiti tersohor dari merata dunia. UK, US, German, Perancis, Jepun, Korea, India, Belanda. Ada antara graduan dr institusi ulung seperti Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, MIT, Chicago, INSEAD, Tokyo Universiti dan lain-lain. Saya yakin, kemahiran dan ilmu pengetahuan mereka, Jika tidak sama, mungkin hampir dengan peruding-perunding muda di Ethos, McKinsey, BCG dan lain-lain.

Saya tidak menghalang penglibatan nama-nama besar ini. Saya mempunyai rasa hormat yang tinggi kepada perunding-perunding ini. Saya tahu, sebab saya pernah menjadi perunding muda kewangan korporat. Saya tahu lenggok nada, irama serta linggo yang mereka gunakan.

Kegusaran saya hanya Jika pihak Kerajaan kurang mendengar dan menghargai PTD-PTD muda kita. Mereka ini amat bersemangat, naive kadang-kadang tapi ramai yang ikhlas membantu negara. Saya harap Kerajaan memandang Serius perkara ini. Angkatlah suara, pandangan dan kemahiran

PTD-PTD dan penjawat awam muda kita. Jadikan mereka penggerak, nadi intelek di dalam setiap, kementerian dan agensi. Gunakan mereka sebaiknya, semaksima boleh, latih dan bentuk budaya inovasi dan tidak mudah menyerah kalah, untuk Perkhidmatan Awam yang mapan dan berprestasi tinggi.

Sekian, terima kasih.

Azwan