Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Thank You Hassan Marican

Been meaning to write for so long, but I have been stalling. I’ve become the typical bitch who whines about having meaningless life when there’s just so much around me. I’m degrading

Let’s just backtrack on things that bother me the most.

“Rakyat didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan”

How is that even possible when the most outstanding CEO in Malaysia, Tan Sri Hassan was ousted from the position he held best in 15 years to give way to his successor who is just as old? Talk about grooming young potentials when you know the new guy probably will be as good, but not better? Not to discredit him or anything, but MISC was PETRONAS’s. Come on, the only reason why MISC is doing very well is because PETRONAS is pumping money into the company in whatever venture we can think of! It’s subsidiary, MMHE is a given example of how MISC has prospered.

Until now, Najib has not disclosed the widely-publicised KPI, though it was supposed to come out sometime last year. Even the brainy Idris Jala can’t think of a fair KPI which will make the ministers look good on paper, cause honestly, I don’t think they can cope in a KPI-environment. Throw them in a multinational company, and they’ll be like needle in a haystack. Without crony support, they won’t survive! “Datuk siapa..”

I’m just a tee-bit irritated with the fact that my CEO was ousted. I may not like some of the policy he introduced, but he did well at the helm of the national oil company. If an outstanding leader like him can be thrown out as the government pleased just because he didn’t submit to politicians demand (remember the whole fiasco on Omar Ong and alas, the board had to succumb to Najib’s veto decision to put him there), what of me who is just a minor junior Engineer who has yet to make an impact in the company?

When Omar was elected to the board, I only thought of two things:

1. Mr President, now that Omar sits in our board, would this mean that the policy that you’ve uphold for the last 15 years need to be revamped? I mean, PETRONAS’s reputation has already been tarnished by the decision to bring back a default scholar into the company. So would this mean that we will open recruitment to those who have left for better opportunities in the Middle East and now crying back for a return to home country? I mean, we’ve been talking about shortage in quality manpower, and this is a great time to re-look at opportunities and making sure that we will have strong manpower to lead the company when Omar Ong takes over as CEO later.

2. There’s so much instability in the country and I felt the first-hand effect seeing Hassan bid farewell to thousand of staff who awaited him in the lobby of KLCC on the fateful 9 February. No matter what qualm Najib may feel for Hassan, a one week notice is just too demeaning. With Hassan’s extensive network worldwide, he should have been given the opportunity to bid proper farewell to not just his staff in over 30 countries, but also his peers from all over the world. Isn’t there such thing as work handover? (But then again, because the job of a politician is so damn easy, any Dick, Tom & Harry can pick up fresh. Oh well). So do I really want to work in this country or should I think about relocating myself to a more stable country? Or if I really want to work in some junk ‘place’, I should really think about a massive paycheck just to compensate the hardship I have to go through.

Ok so there it is. Venting out my frustration here. Enough said.

Cheers all. Salam 1 Malaysia.

ps: I do welcome the new boss who will be another charismatic leader to PETRONAS. All my support to the company, obviously!