Malaysian Election Result Does Not Augur Well For Future

Although the Malaysian stock market rose by 3% today, BN's win actually does not augur well for its future. There were outright allegations of vote rigging with pretty strong evidence, from truck loads of Bangladeshi workers sneaking into voting booths to the supposedly indelible ink easily washed off from the finger, to cars fetching secret ballot boxes to the booths.

Throughout history, when a government cheats in an election, it is usually the start of a revolution. The Arab spring comes to mind. Libya and Egypt did the same and within a year there was a change of government. A government that clings to power by such means simply has no legitimacy. Civil disobedience usually follows.

A peaceful transition of power to the opposition would have been the better outcome for investors in the long term because the states that are run by opposition tend to have strong outperformance in property prices. A win by BN without such controversies would have legitimize the regime. But this is the worst possible outcome.

The next few years many be turbulent in Malaysia. Watch this space.

My Goal In The Next Five Years Is To Take Care Of The "Human Element"

As I approach the sunset of our career, I've taken stock of what I've done well and not so well. I felt the weakest part of my life is the maintenance of friendships. I used to think that other than family and spouse, there is little need to maintain friendships. But I realised that more effort must be put in. Like a marriage, friendships sometimes can be damaged and effort must be made to repair it immediately. If I've wronged someone, I have to admit it quickly and apologise, try to "normalise" the relationship. If I've been wronged, I have to forgive the person even though he or she fails to acknowledge or apologise.

The human element is very important, not only for networking purposes, but for the legacy that I leave behind. Kindness, integrity, altruism are important traits to have in any human.

For the next five years, I intend to forge new friendships and revive old ones. I like intelligent people with integrity. These two traits don't come often in one person. But when I find such people, I will take them on board in my exciting journey.