Welcoming Address at the PEMUDAH Appreciation Dinner for Former PEMUDAH Members

Bismillaahir rahmaanir rahiim

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuh, Salam Sejahtera dan Salam 1Malaysia

YBhg. Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon
Co-Chairman of PEMUDAH

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

First and foremost, I would like to thank PEMUDAH members for making the time to be here this evening to show our appreciation to our colleagues who were with us in PEMUDAH until December 2011 as well as those who recently finished their “national service” with PEMUDAH.

2. I am very delighted to see our friends from the corporate sector, Y.Bhg. Tan Sri G. Gnanalingam, Y.Bhg. Tan Sri Azman Yahya and Y.Bhg. Dato’ Dr. Ir. Andy Seo Kian Haw.  I am equally happy to see again from the Public Sector, Y.Bhg. Datuk Mohd Zain Mohd Dom and Tan Sri Mahmood Adam.  Y.Bhg. Datuk Seri Ahmad Hj. Kabit could not join us this evening, and we surely miss his presence tonight. I know how busy you are and your presence here clearly shows the strong spirit of camaraderie in PEMUDAH.

3. I would also like to congratulate PEMUDAH members who were bestowed Federal honours by SPB YDP Agong on the occasion of His Majesty’s Birthday on 2nd June —  Tan Sri Azman Yahya and Tan Sri Azman Dato’ Seri Harun for the PSM; and Datuk Dr. Rebecca, Datuk Zoal Azha, Datuk Ahmad Phesal for the PJN.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

4. This evening as we meet to thank our friends for their service to PEMUDAH and the country, I want to also put on record our appreciation to the spouses whose support made it that much easier for the members of PEMUDAH to contribute their time to a very noble cause.  In fact, I must add that the important role of the spouse transcends PEMUDAH to encompass all our contributions.  In that context, I must say that my wife Wan Noorlina has been a pillar of strength, from whom I derived a lot of my desire to serve the public good.  Thank you so very much.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

5. I associate myself almost fully with what Tan Sri Yong said about the PEMUDAH alumni.  For all your contributions in making PEMUDAH work that much more challenging, much more interesting and so easy, I thank you so much.  The Corporate sector members of PEMUDAH blended so well and they are so proud of the public service that sometimes I wonder whether we have not perhaps over “house trained” them.  Thank you so much for all the pro bono hours that you put to make our country more competitive. And, for willing to stay on for so long in PEMUDAH, before we agreed to let the 3 of you go.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

6. Allow me to share some of my personal insights about Datuk Zain. He spent almost his entire years in the civil service in MITI, during which time he became an expert in multilateral trade matters. However, at the tail end of his career he proved that he was just as adept at dealing with domestic issues. As KSU of the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism,  he  championed  the culture of consultation and engagement  which  he  brought from  MITI.   I  am  sure the new KSU, Dato Saripuddin will continue this practice. And, I am sure all KSUs and DGs, the public service will do likewise as a habit — engagement and consultation.

7. Datuk Seri Ahmad Hj. Kabit on the other hand, is a very calm and collected person.  He had an important role in progressing the initiatives under the construction permits indicator of the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business survey.  The Housing and Local Government Ministry performed well under his leadership, with improvements or at least some headway made in dealing with constructions permits and issues related to licensing and approvals by the local authorities.

8. Tan Sri Mahmood Adam was instrumental in implementing a lot of PEMUDAH initiatives on immigration matters.  I hope he will bring the same level of engagement and inclusiveness in his current appointment as the Chairman of the Public Service Commission.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

9. Their shoes have now been filled by new Secretaries General.  Likewise, we have brought on board new members from the private sector to take over from Tan Sri G, Tan Sri Azman Yahya, and Dato’ Andy Seo.  I am certain the new members, i.e. Dato’ Wong Siew Hai, Dato’ Hazimah Zainuddin and Mr. Vinayak Pradhan, will contribute and build on the work of our predecessors.

10. Let me end with a quote attributed to Mark Twain:  “Twenty years from now you will be disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.  Dream.  Discover.”

I hope we all did in PEMUDAH. I hope you will continue to do so in PEMUDAH.

Thank you.