No doubt SMEs takes more risks in their business, but if you want to see real growth and opportunities, you can count on these gung-ho SMEs enterpreneurs. During an economy crisis, they are the ones that would work hard to make sure the orders continue to come in and also to keep their employees on the payroll, while big corporations won’t even think twice about laying off their crews.

Here’s a list of microfinance institutions available for SMEs in Malaysia and the various products they offer:

Source: www.smeinfo.com.my

On Tuesday, the BBC News website posted an article enumerating the numerous flaws that the PNP has committed with regard to the handling of the hostage incident. The article was based primarily on the observations of a renowned security analyst in the person of Charles Shoebridge, who has worked for counter-terrorism operations of the British Army and the Scotland Yard.

Here are Shoebridge’s primary talking points on the said story:

1. Determination — “They (police officers) showed great courage to go on board. It’s very
crowded, just one aisle down the middle of the bus. But once you get on board, it’s not unexpected you are going to be fired at. Squads like this have to be made up of very special people, specially trained and selected for their characteristics of courage, determination and aggression. In this case they acted as 99% of the population would have, which was to turn round and get out. They didn’t seem to have the necessary determination and aggression to follow the attack through.”

2. Lack of equipment — “They had no ladders to get through the windows. They smashed the windows but didn’t know what to do next… They almost looked like a group of vandals. Their firearms were also inappropriate — some had pistols, some had assault rifles. Ideally they would have carried a short submachine gun, suitable for use in confined spaces.”

3. Lost opportunity to disarm the gunman — “The negotiators were so close to him (hostage-taker Sr. Insp. Rolando Mendoza), and he had his weapon hanging down by his side. He could have been disabled without having to kill him.”

4. Lost opportunity to shoot the gunman —”You are dealing with an unpredictable and irrational individual. The rule should be that if in the course of negotiations an opportunity arises to end the situation decisively, it should be taken.”

5. Satisfying the gunman’s demands — “A promise extracted under force is not a promise that you are required to honor. Nobody wants to give in to the demands of terrorists, but in a situation like this, which did not involve a terrorist group, or release of prisoners, they could have just accepted his demands. He could be reinstated in the police – and then be immediately put in prison for life for hostage taking.”

6. Televised proceedings — “The gunman was able to follow events on television, revealing to him everything that was going on around him. This was a ‘crucial defect in the police handling’ …the police should always consider putting a barrier or screen around the area, to shield the scene from the cameras and keep the hostage taker in the dark.”

7. No element of surprise — “It was clear to the gunman what the police were doing at all times, not only because the whole incident was televised, but also because they moved ‘laboriously slow’ …the police did not distract him”

8. Safeguarding the public — “When you saw the camera view from above, it was clear there was little command and control of the public on the ground.”

9. Using the gunman’s brother to negotiate — “Relatives and close friends can be a double-edged sword (in a hostage-taking incident)… While they may have leverage over the hostage taker, what they are saying cannot be easily controlled.”

10. Insufficient training — “In some parts of the Philippines, such as Mindanao, hostage taking is not an uncommon occurrence, so the country has some forces that are well trained in the necessary tactics. The detachment involved in Monday’s incident clearly was not.”

Read the full story on Manila Bulletin.

Last week, a very successful ‘wealth accumulator’, a school teacher from Cheras, shared with me 2 phrases that he has kept closed to his wealth accumulation strategy and here they are:

1) 只有进没有出 – Only In’s, No Out’s

2) 有多没有少 – More, Never Less

These 2 phrases are translated literally from the Chinese language, and it has a zen-like quality to it.

The school teacher has applied this strategy since he started working 30 years ago, and he is still using it today.

In the first phrase, he emphasized that you should be very strict on the direction of your cash. Once you’ve allocated this amount to your wealth accumulation plan, you must never withdraw it, UNLESS, in his very own words, “You are going to use it for a productive purpose”.

Once you get into the discipline of accumulating a tiny portion of your income, you should be able to see your effort growing and your only logical response to this revelation is to increase your accumulation volume and hence directly increases the rate of your accumulation.

In my experience, accumulating your wealth without a good financial blueprint, even with the best financial products, your results will not be as spectacular as compared to having a clear idea of what you really want from your investments. It’s your job to be as descriptive and precise as possible when you are communicating your investment philosophies to your financial consultants to see if their services matches your requirements.

Keeping it simple, I hope you get something out of it. I know I did.

Sir Richard Branson, the renowned British industrialist is coming to KL next month for the Dawn of the New Decade – Alternative Investments in Asia forum.

Here’s the press release on the event, thanks to Elya of GoComm.com.my on the note.

KL TO WELCOME SIR RICHARD BRANSON FOR LANDMARK FORUM
Kuala Lumpur, Monday, 9 August 2010- Richard Branson, founder and Chairman of the Virgin Group, requires little introduction – few people are as internationally well known, fewer still as universally liked and respected. The entrepreneur’s entrepreneur, inspiring business leader and fearless adventurer Branson is an ambassador for the “can do” attitude.

The famously goatee-ed Englishman comes to Kuala Lumpur in September to participate in the Dawn of the New Decade – Alternative Investments in Asia forum. This event is being staged by the venerable International Herald Tribune in association with the London Speaker Bureau. The forum is the first of its kind to be staged in Asia and it will feature more than 15 leading luminaries in the field of finance and investment. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak will be giving the official key note speech at the event which takes place on 27 and 28 September in the Renaissance Hotel.

Branson will be giving his eagerly anticipated special keynote speech on the opening day of the forum. The billionaire is expected to outline his thoughts on the current investment landscape and on the growing importance of Asia. As the head of Virgin Atlantic Airways he has a particularly relevant perspective on the airline industry, however, as the owner of 360 other companies the depth and breadth of his experience is virtually peerless.

Recently turned 60 Branson began his life in business at the tender age of 16 launching a magazine called Student. By 22 he had a chain of successful record stores. There followed the airline, the mobile phone operator, a railway, a healthcare company and even a space tourism company. He is now worth an estimated US$4 billion. His philanthropy is as famed as his trans-continental balloon voyages.

Attending the two-day forum will be over 1,000 delegates from across the region including some leading bankers, investors and fund managers. They will be hearing not just from Richard Branson but also from Mary Buffet, daughter in law of Warren Buffet, arguably the world’s most successful investor. The other speakers will include Anil Gupta, renowned expert on Strategy and Globalisation; Dr Fang Gang one of China’s most influential economists and Augusto Lopez-Claros, Chief Economist with the World Economic Forum.

Invaluable opinions, predictions, advice and speculation will be shared at this seminal event. It will be extremely informative and, of course, a gilt-edged networking opportunity. It is to be noted that this is a regional event that will be heavily publicised throughout the IHT and worthy of further note is that Malaysia was selected as host above some strong competition.

For more information about the forum including a full list of the speakers, the programme and details of how to book tickets please visit www.invest2010.asia

-END-

Issued on behalf of the London Speakers Bureau by: GO Communications Sdn Bhd. For further information kindly contact:

Lizayati Damit
Brand Director
Mobile: +6016 971 1580 / 03 7710- 3288
E-mail: liza@gocomm.com.my

Elya Eusoff
Brand Manager
Mobile: +6017 366 2277 / 03 7710- 3288
E-mail: elya@gocomm.com.my

Choo Hen
Brand Executive
Mobile: +6017 433 8189/ 03 7710- 3288
E-mail: choo@gocomm.com.my

How Money is Created in Australia.

CEO of Retirement Village Association of Australia (RVAA) to speak at “Everyone can retire well” Conference.

The aim of Retirement Villages is to create a secure environment where people can socialize and mix with those of their own age, thus helping to remove some of the loneliness and boredom often associated with growing old.

The trend in retirement village development in Australia and other developed economies is towards a resort lifestyle model that offers a range of lifestyle activities and services to its residents.

Also more and more residents are looking for developments that have or have ready access to aged care (nursing home) facilities.

Such “ageing-in-place” development offers the residents the opportunity to age gracefully and with dignity and where their changing care needs over time can be met at one familiar location.

To know more about Retirement Villages, meet in person and listen to Andrew Giles, CEO of RVAA at FPAM’s “Everyone Can Retire Well 2010 Conference & Exhibition” from 13-14 October at Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre. Register now for RM500 only! For details and registration form, log on to: www.fpam.org.my

Note
(The RVAA is a peak body representing those who build or manage resident-funded retirement villages in Australia. Where legislation provides (in all States and Territories except Tasmania & Northern Territory) residents can approach the RVAA for assistance in disputes with retirement village managers)