PHNOM PEHN TEAM MEMBERS

1 Day counting down to the new year and 6 days counting down to our big day. Thank you for a good 5 days of intensive meeting to end the year 2011 with a blast. To our teammates in Phnom Pehn, have a wonderful celebration and a good start for the New Year.

A short interview with most of the team mates revealed a surprising discovery. When asked, almost all of them shared only one New Year resolution..  "For the company to be successful in the new year and for them all to prosper well with the company". This value in any employees is hard to instil in most workforce but loyalty is a prominent attribute in Khmer's character.

Naturally, anything wont be complete without a camwhoring session.

THE CAMBODIA SAGA... UNTOLD STORY PART 1

I have been keeping abreast of the Cambodia latest scandal unveiled when Senate President Samdech Akka Moha Thomak Photisal Chea Sim's Chief of Body Guard was detained for illegal possession of arms. Further to that, two of the Senate President's Advisers were arrested together with a former Cabinet member and the latest arrest of the Samdech President's Chief of Protocol. Observing the so called 'Freedom of Press' in Cambodia especially from the Cambodia Daily, the paper that pride itself for reporting "All News Without fear and favor" as its tagline, I could not help but to think of a similar tagline maybe for..... err the Malay Mail? ...Datuk Ahirudin Atan alias Rocky Bru? We have been denying to comment on any media although the Cambodia Daily and Phnom Pehn Post had both written to me but since the facts of the story was twisted of sort and to some extend manipulated ("Freedom of Press?"), I have to correct some facts (at least from a foreign investor's point of view) from that written in both media.

1) Letter of Award issued to our company was not a fraud.  It was signed under the Senate's letterhead, signed by the Senate President and sealed with the Senate's Red emblem. As stated in the Court report (referred to the Cambodia Daily), the Senate President was tricked to signed the Letter of Award by its most trusted Generals, Adviser, Chief Protocol or whoever. Whether he was tricked or otherwise, who would question the authenticity of any document signed by the Country's Senate President especially when the Senate is the Upper House of the Parliament (in Cambodia) with legislative power (see write-up below or click here for more information on the Senate of Cambodia) as oppose to Malaysia, which the Upper House only review legislatures passed by Parliament. The Letter of Award is as good as any other contract. (CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE)

COURTESY VISIT TO THE MALAYSIAN EMBASSY IN THE KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA

After frequenting the Kingdom of Cambodia since November 2010, we finally had the opportunity to pay a courtesy visit to the Malaysian Embassy in the Kingdom. I arrived together with Ly Rothana in time for the scheduled 12pm appointment with Malaysian Ambassador Extraordinary and Planipotentiary H.E. Datuk Pengiran Haji Mohd Hussein bin Datuk Pengiran Haji Hj Mohd Tahir Nasruddin

Malaysian Embassy in Phnom Pehn is located at No. 220 - 222, Preah Norodom Boulevard, Sangkat Tonle Bassat, Khan Chamkarmorn and is contactable at +855-23-216 176, +855-23-216 177 or email at malppehn@kln.gov.my or facsimile +855-23-726 101. The Embassy is open from Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm (Lunch Break 12pm-1:30pm).

DEER, RABBIT & DOG!!!

There is nothing better than to start the day with Running... but the picture on the right was 'acting' and eksyen-picture only....

But actually I did go running because I ate too much the night before. We had dinner with H.E. Ponlork Ho. Excellency Ho ordered and brought two freshly slaughtered Deer, 10 Rabbits and seafood to entertained us and Vietnam Colonel Tang Van Chuc, the Deputy Chief of Ministry of Defense, Chairman of Member Assembly as well as the General Director of Lung Lo One Member Construction Ltd Company, Head Quarters Army Engineer.

MONG RETHTHY

Me @ Mong Reththy office.

"My first trip to Malaysia was via driving a Truck from Phnom Pehn passingby Thailand to Penang in the 1980s", said 60 year old Excellency Dr Okhna Mong Reththy whom could easily be mistaken to be in his 40s with his thick black hair and almost wrinkle free. It was a great pleasure to meet and listen to Mong Reththy success story. Mong Reththy Group of companies named after the founder himself, is equivalent to Malaysia DRB-Hicom with a diverse industry portfolio from Pig Farming to a Port and even economic land concession.


I have frequented Mong Reththy office for various meetings with the Group Deputy Chairman Dr Monivann Tan but this was the first meeting I had with the prominent businessman His Excellency Okhna Mong Reththy. Dr Monivann Tan, a PhD in law graduate was decisive and sharp in making decision and our every meeting was fruitful. Dr Monivann too is a keen athlete whom played all form of sports but somehow we always ended up with only an after-office-hour game of pool.

WHEN LIFE IS NOT AT ALL ROSEY

 My heart sank everytime I arrived in Cambodia and saw many kids being neglected, abandoned and/or working 'full time' to help their family with food. Children as young as 3-4 years old are either being used or are really selling various lady accessories such as bracelets etc to selling postcard and books. Once I invited and bought the poor child to eat with me at the restaurant (although the restaurant owner was not so pleased).

100TH ANNIVERSARY OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN DAY CELEBRATION AT H.E. GENERAL KIM KUN'S RESIDENCE

The international Women day is celebrated on 8th March every year globally as a respect, an appreciation and illustration of love for women. Click HERE for the history of International Women Day. To celebrate the 100th anniversary, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Deputy Commander in Chief and the Chairman of Prime Minister Hun Sen's Advisors, His Excellency General Kun Kim & wife Cham  Tiew Chan Dee hosted a dinner at their resident to raise funds for the poor people of Cambodia.

His Excellency General Kun Kim and his family

I KNOW WHAT I DID DURING LAST TRIP.. (of course I do)

We arrived at the airport and was shocked to see His Excellency Ponlork Ho waiting for our arrival smack infront of the aeroplane door. This hospitality always made us felt honored on our every visit to Phnom Pehn. H.E. Ponlork Ho escorted us out through the immigration without us having to even queue.

This trip back to Phnom Pehn was abit more relaxed compared to those previous trips. We were able to have a quiet lunch on arrival at the regular luncheon place.

Then we head straight to our Hotel.

Beside work.. We did 10 new things in Phnom Pehn? (ok not all are new things but at least recorded)

A WORKING, OFFICIAL AND MEMORABLE VISIT TO END THE YEAR 2010.

Life in Cambodia gets better on every trip... I mean the food. Upon arrival, we went to straight to a Malaysian & Singaporean restaurant that serves one of the best beef soup in town!!! Better than the Soup Tulang Daing Daniel Fitri had in Singapore on Christmas (Grrrrr..). The restaurant was H.E. General Ponlork Ho's regular luncheon spot. We enjoyed the soup and Mio Dino @Johari Haji Mahadi had the vegetable without any rice... some people are concern about their carbohydrate intake and me  someone, forgotten that he is on a diet.
 

After checking in at Blue River Hotel with a stupendous view of the Mekong river, we dressed up and were ready for our first schedule. A trip to the Senate house where we were suppose to meet with some officials.

PHNOM PEHN, CAMBODIA... LAND OF OPPORTUNITY?

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I arrived at the Cambodia airport at 4pm after a 2 hour flight on Malaysian Airlines. The flight was half empty and I was able to convert the three seater per row Boeng into a single bed. No it was not for a holiday but a 'duty call' sort of speak for a possible collaboration with the Cambodian government for a project that cannot be announced just yet until the finalization of some terms.

Phnom Pehn was err.. a bigger version of my kampung Badak, Bachok Kelantan.. aaah.. same like Pasir Puteh. Okay.. ok.... macam Kota Bharu?? and the Cambodian aka khmer look are similar to Malaysian (is it?). Okay.. I am bad at differentiating the Phillipines, Cambodian, Indonesian, Singaporean, Malaysian.. they all look the same to me. Language? I have to go on sign-language... They do not understand English or Bahasa Malaysia.

I checked in at the Blue River hotel. The schedule at Cambodia was packed. I was greeted by Johari Hj Mahadi @ Mio Dino, the Personal Assistant to the Secretary of State and Advisor to HE Meas Sarin and first introduced to Dr Koh Ting Giap; a Singaporean and Senior advisor to the Cambodian government.