01 Nigeria - Cover Photo-min

“I Will Follow You Back to Your Country”

By Adlina Atikah Amran

“Be on standby to fly out to Nigeria at any time,” read the text sent by my boss, the Managing Director of COMMUNICATE.

We had been tasked with organising an Open Day for the Government of Nigeria following the end of the Nigeria Economic Growth and Recovery Plan labs, providing end-to-end services from content creation for the event’s communication materials to event management.

The moment I received that text message is when the weight of the project pressed on my shoulders. Up until that point, I had already successfully fielded the curveballs from the project and I always knew there was a possibility I would have to participate in some engagement on the ground. Yet I still felt that I was not prepared to fly to Africa. My tummy did a few somersaults and I started having sleepless nights up until the day of my flight.

Amidst all that panic I took a step back and thought to myself – what was I so afraid of? What was it that made me so worried? I doubted that it was the work itself, as it was something I was used to doing and I have a fantastic team to support me.

After much introspection, I admitted to myself that my biggest worry was change. I admitted that I was not ready to adapt to an unfamiliar environment and manage communications for the first foreign clients I had worked with. Ironically, I serve an organisation which champions change and transformation, but there I was, afraid of change.

Try. Do not be afraid to try.

“Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.” Photo of Aso Rock in Abuja, Nigeria, by Adlina Atikah Amran

Following my self-diagnosis, I decided that my anxiety-ridden days should not prolong, and I needed to break out of that cocoon and face my reality. I fully embodied the transformation ideology and took this as an opportunity for career and personal elevation. I put my game face on and prepared myself to make that 20-hour journey to Abuja, where the Open Day was being held.

The next few days before my departure were a challenge for the COMMUNICATE team as we worked with stakeholders in two time zones. We would be perched in front of our laptops from 9am to 6pm Malaysia time, and then 9am to 6pm Nigeria time, which is 7 hours behind our local time. Working double the work hours, our days literally never ended.

It was also a race against time as the work involved the production of physical deliverables which require special printing. Our days revolved around cycles of writing, designing, editing and reviewing, up until final approvals.

Finally, the time had come for me to board that flight. My team and I flew in 10 days prior to the event and received a warm welcome from our Nigerian counterparts, which eliminated 70% of the worries I had. Frankly, I felt foolish for worrying so much before my departure. The work was the same…but different in many ways. It required adaptation on our end and clear and concise communications from both parties to make the work, work.

The experience was an eye opener and it taught me to be exceedingly detailed and clear in my instructions and explanations, to never assume and to trust the people I work with. There were, of course, hiccups along the way, some so complex I felt like we would never find a solution. Most of the issues we encountered were expected but there were some which I was absolutely not prepared for. The smallest of them being…the inconvenience of not having access to an A3 printer and a car at 11pm on the night before the event.

Nonetheless, with the combined effort of all parties and despite the complexities we encountered, COMMUNICATE was able to help the Nigerian Government pull off its first Open Day.

So, who followed me back to my country?

I returned from my 10-day trip to Africa, my first foreign work assignment, with a wealth of experience, wisdom and courage to transform. That is what followed me back to my country.

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you are.” Photo by Adlina Atikah Amran

The biggest lesson I learned was that no matter what comes your way, never be afraid and trust your capabilities because if you do not believe in yourself, who would? If you ever need help, do not be afraid to ask and learn from others who are more experienced. Mistakes are inevitable, but that should not hinder you from doing your best. You should always own up to your mistakes and make them right.

Fast forward several months later, and my experience in Nigeria has proven to be invaluable to my career and personal development, plus it makes a great conversation starter!

If you ask me, I would do it all over again.


(True story: I was running around the event venue making sure everything was going to plan when out of the blue, I heard someone speak as I zoomed past him at the main entrance. In a deep and low voice just loud enough for me to hear, he said, “I will follow you back to your country”. What he said gave me chills, but I just laughed it off and for my safety, hung around my team for the rest of the event!)
Oman_Mining

Jump-Starting the Mines – Oman’s Mining Sector Reboot

By Woody Ang & Alaudden Mostafa

The potential remains limitless

Mining and quarrying have been age-old practices in Oman dating back more than 2000 years. The Sultanate is endowed with a variety of mineral deposits such as chromite, gypsum, limestone, building materials and marble. These minerals remain an important asset to Oman’s economy, with the country still possessing approximately 97% unexploited mineral potential from its industrial and metalliferous deposits.

While the mining sector acts as a catalyst for the growth of core industries like steel and cement, its contribution to GDP is still very modest at 0.5% as of 2017. One reason for this is because the sector is led primarily by small-to-medium sized companies, dealing mostly in traditional mining industries such as building aggregates. Given the low-value, high-volume nature of these industrial minerals, there is limited potential for increasing contribution to the overall Omani economy in its current form. The past 5 years have seen production value drop by 3.4%, even though production volumes have grown by 4%. The complex nature of regulating the mining industry has further compounded this scenario. Impediments to investment and growth include the lack of an attractive investment environment and inconsistent enforcement of regulations, particularly in the collection of royalties, and tedious licensing processes. This highly capital-intensive industry also demands a consistently updated geological data at national level, which Oman does not yet possess.

Given the combination of these factors, existing investors and mining operators are limited in number and the country has seen a noticeable reduction in exploration and developmental projects. This impacts the sector’s growth and sustainability prospects and its potential contribution to GDP.

Against this backdrop, Oman recognised that significant steps are required to remove the obstacles to sector growth. To lead the sector’s transformation effort, the Public Authority for Mining adopted a collaborative, result-driven approach for Oman with the introduction of the Mining Lab via PEMANDU Associates’ Big Fast Results Lab Methodology. The lab focused on three key pillars: optimising industrial minerals value contribution, reviving significant value contribution from metalliferous minerals and improving the sector’s business environment and governance.

Investors and Private Sector lead the way

When attempting to identify the real economic potential of these industrial minerals, many conclude that a simple extract-and-sell strategy is sufficient to generate growth. The Lab provided a platform of discourse and rigorous analysis which revealed that this widely held view was untrue. Despite the availability of these natural resources, Oman struggled to deliver a competitively priced product to market. The final cost of industrial minerals such as limestone are highly dependent on the geographical distance and logistical requirements between both the source mines and the destinations seeking the commodity. It was therefore important for Oman to find ways to capitalise on its geographic location to reduce the cost-to-market.

Source: Oman Mining Lab

Following careful consideration and selection, the Lab recommended the formation of a Centralised Trading Company (CTC) led by a consortium of private industry players to optimise the handling of outgoing production to better fit market demand. The CTC will look to maximise value extraction by also optimising available logistics and exhibiting strict cost discipline to derive maximum value for the country’s producers.

To complement the CTC, focus will also need to be shifted beyond upstream activities towards higher value downstream manufacturing. The Lab identified and prioritised nine private sector-led integrated downstream industrial minerals projects aimed at delivering tangible results leading up to 2023. Amongst the pathfinder projects include the extraction of basalt to produce continuous basalt fibre, the extraction of dolomite to produce magnesium metal and the extraction of potash to produce premium grade potassium.

Despite metalliferous minerals being the high value contributor amongst the existing commodities, new exploration activities have dwindled over the past decade with almost no new development projects to replace ageing mines. This is particularly evident in the copper sector where there are currently no active mines despite strong proven resources available in the country.

The Lab nevertheless enabled the identification of private sector-led upstream and downstream projects for copper and chromite, along with potential downstream development opportunities in magnesium and silicon. These projects include 14 copper project sites and three new concentrator plants to reinitiate copper production and enable feed to downstream by import substitution of concentrates.

Aside from copper, 28 private investment -led chromite project sites and one beneficiation plant were identified to increase chromite production and optimise utilisation of local chrome resources in Oman, which can be fed to downstream ferrochrome plants.

After six weeks of robust deliberations, the Lab successfully unlocked the Washihi Integrated Copper Mining Project, Oman’s first copper mining project in 14 years. The project marks a resumption of copper mining activity, which truly is an example of Big Fast Results in action.

It’s all about the right Business Environment

With investors ready to commit, it is imperative that the business environment is made as conducive as possible to realise these investments. The existing licensing process requires dealings with eight different government entities whilst there is little transparency on the tax and royalty regime – these will now need to change.

Firstly, it was decided that the licensing process will be simplified via a single entity adhering to a clearly stipulated approval timeline and implementing a pre-approval clearance mechanism. With the introduction of this new process, previously lengthy license processing timelines that could take months and sometimes years will now be a thing of the past. This will also eliminate the prior lack of standard operating procedures that necessitated investors to follow-up with the Public Authority on the status of the requested approvals regularly on their own.

Secondly, the Lab also recommended a dynamic royalty rate to replace the previous flat royalty rate of 10% across commodities; a rate which is relatively higher than in other mining countries. The proposed dynamic royalty initiative will apply commodity-based formulas where different minerals will be subjected to different valuation methods or rates. In addition to this, the Lab also proposed a royalty discount mechanism upon fulfilment of certain set criteria which include downstream production promotions, amongst others. Such incentives should ensure higher in-country value and will incentivise industry growth.

Exciting times now lie ahead for Oman’s Mining sector and there is great optimism on the newly-formed winning coalition between the public and private sector. Oman has taken bold decisions and significant steps towards improving the outlook for the sector. In total, the Labs unlocked more than 10 new exploration licenses and documented another 50 applications to be further reviewed for potential approval. This injection of urgency is a far cry from the original state of having minimal to no new exploration projects.

With committed private investments amounting to more than OMR50 million for shovel-ready projects, the Public Authority of Mining is committed and fully aware of the need to lead the way in breaking down the silo mentality that often permeates within Government. All that remains is for the key industry and Government stakeholders to maintain the discipline of action and stay the course that they have plotted together. The mining engine of Oman has gotten a much-needed restart and the country hopes it will begin to truly fulfill its untapped potential.

Delivery Units_Featured

Do Delivery Units Deliver?

By Ku Kok Peng

The word ‘govern’ comes from the Latin term ‘gubernare’, which means ‘to steer’. However, the success of any government has less to do with the act or omission of steering, but more to do with ‘what’ and ‘how’ it has steered.

Our experience around the world has shown that many governments inherently have several challenges in discharging their responsibilities. Chief among them is the lack of clear focus on their strategic priorities, as most governments are unable to resist the temptation to do more in every area. Even when they get their priorities right, governments are large entities and tend to work rigidly and in silos, without detailed, implementable programmes.

Successful governments invariably exhibit both ruthless focus in areas where they can or work to be competitive, as well as having a practical execution plan that they facilitate, with recursive iterations in implementation.

Ruthless prioritisation

Ruthless prioritisation is totally necessary given that resources such as time, man-power and funds are always finite. Governments must prioritise sectors and industries that would create the most beneficial impact for its economy. This would enable the government to dedicate the right amount of resources to ensure that these prioritised areas can be facilitated for increased growth. It also acts as a signpost for investors to know what areas their investment will be given the whole of government support and facilitation.

Singapore, with no natural resources, set its mind very early on to focus on services supported by evolving manufacturing activities. Today, it is one of the world’s leading financial and logistic hubs as well as high-value R&D and industrial centres. In a similar vein, South Korea prioritised on export-led industrialisation as their main strategic plank, focusing on heavy industries and ICT activities.

Following the global financial crisis in 2009 and with an economy stuck in the middle-income trap, Malaysia too decided to embark on a more pronounced productive sector prioritisation. Blessed with natural resources to produce agriculture and fossil commodities, rapid downstream value-addition to these sectors was pursued to secure markedly higher income.

For instance, the oil and gas sector developed its erstwhile neglected mid and downstream value chain more concertedly, investing in storage and integrated petrochemical complexes that also allow it to tap higher value market segments but also paved the path into trading activities. Meanwhile, palm oil diversified very rigorously from edible oils and fats and basic oleochemicals to much richer segments of oleo derivatives, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.

With a solid base in the electrical and electronics industry, steps were also taken to move up the value chain while closing the gaps in components, devices and services value chains along the way. Efforts were focused on three catalytic sub-sectors namely, electrical and electronics, chemicals, and machinery and equipment (M&E), with aerospace and medical devices identified as adjacent sub-sectors with high-growth potential as part of a 3+2 strategy. (Note: 3+2 refers to segments in E&E, chemicals and M&E plus aerospace and medical devices.)

Malaysia is fortunate that its earlier industrialisation path, driven primarily by FDIs in assembly of E&E & M&E products, created a complex economy that made later industrial prioritisation under the National Transformation Programme, including expansion into areas such as Internet of Things (IoT), aerospace, advanced materials and medical devices, an easier task.

It literally took a leaf from Ricardo Hausman’s theory of monkeys and trees[1]. The renowned economist uses the metaphor of a forest, where products are trees and firms and talent are monkeys. The closer the trees are to each other, the easier it is for monkeys to swing from tree to tree. “Economic development,” he said, “is the process of the monkeys colonising the forest.” In the Malaysian context, sub-segments such as E&E are the trees. They are heavily populated and primarily located in the northern corridor. They also produced highly skilled talents that have been able to spread into adjacent sub-sectors such as aerospace and medical devices due to common skills such as precision engineering and robotics.

Active Facilitation

Strategic direction for economic development alone is not sufficient. It needs to be complemented by active facilitation during the delivery and implementation of strategic economic plans and projects. This entails building the collaboration between the public and private sectors to improve cohesion and obtain results from these projects. Once key economic areas have been identified, the implementation of priority sector projects identified need to be closely monitored and where necessary, intervention and problem-solving needs to be carried out to resolve any implementation issues.

Having a multi-layered governance structure that operates both intra-ministry as well as inter-ministry is crucial. A multi-layered governance would improve communications between and within ministries to ensure programmes are implemented and problem-solved with the support of all relevant stakeholders. Governance will be even more effective if it has the commitment of the highest leadership, who can act as the ultimate arbitrator, especially on cross-ministry issues that hold back project implementation.

Invest KL, a special purpose unit set up in 2011 with the sole objective of attracting 100 MNCs to set up regional hubs in Greater Kuala Lumpur, is a good example of successful active facilitation. It proactively scouts and handholds the investors’ entire investment process, in collaboration with other counterparts in the government such as the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), the Kuala Lumpur City Hall and Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). As at end-2017, Invest KL has attracted 73 MNCs with investment commitment of over RM11 billion and almost 11,000 jobs created[2].

Similar successes were recorded across the prioritised sectors, from resource-based industries to services sector, thanks to the robust and effective governance structure that was put in place.

Delivery Units Deliver

First established in the UK as the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (PMDU) in 2001, the delivery unit model was emulated in Malaysia (PEMANDU – Performance Management and Delivery Unit) as well as Chile, Albania, Romania and Indonesia under different monikers at the national level. Conceptually, it is a discrete unit at the centre of government with a mandate to improve citizen and economic outcomes and improve oversight on government effectiveness and efficiency[3].

In engaging key stakeholders to establish priorities, delivery units provide clarity to investors, both foreign and domestic, on sectors that will receive support in terms of resources and attention. This greatly helps them in making their final investment decisions. In addition, by proactively facilitating the implementation process, the investment hits the ground much faster, which also translates into earlier return on their investment.

The delivery unit model shares many features of the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) approach which hinges on trying, learning, iterating and adapting[4]. It promotes active experiential and experimental learning with evidence-driven feedback built into regular management that allows for real-time adaptation.

In the case of Malaysia, the economy flourished and investment gushed in with the introduction of the National Transformation Programme that was launched in 2010 and overseen by PEMANDU. The growth rate of realised investments almost doubled following the establishment of the delivery unit. Additionally, the share of private investment increased to 68% in 2017 compared to 52% in 2009 prior to the formation of the delivery unit.

Department of Statistics, Malaysia
Source: Department of Statistics, Malaysia

The investment levels achieved contributed to Malaysia’s growth with GDP consistently in the range of 4% to 6% since 2009, and the gap towards the World Bank’s high income threshold in terms of GNI narrowed from 33% in 2010 to 20% in 2017. Malaysia ranked 24th in World Bank’s Doing Business Report (2018), retaining its spot among the world’s top 25 economies on the Doing Business measures.

Source: World Bank

While the outcomes of the delivery unit model vary from country to country, and even from area to area, it undoubtedly assists governments in prioritising the ‘whats’ and further improving the effectiveness  of processes to get things done.

From the case of Malaysia, the answer to the rhetorical headline question is firmly in the affirmative.


[1] http://www.investkl.gov.my/assets/multimediaMS/file/InvestKL-Performance-Report-2017.pdf
[2] https://harvardmagazine.com/2010/03/complexity-and-wealth-of-nations
[3] http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/318041492513503891/Driving-performance-from-the-center-Malaysia-s-experience-with-PEMANDU
[4] https://www.oecd.org/dac/accountable-effective-institutions/Governance%20Notebook%202.3%20Andrews%20et%20al.pdf

Transformation on the Street: An Ex Banker’s Road to the Sydney Opera House

Nestled in an idyllic suburb of Kuala Lumpur bustles an entrepreneur with an amazing zest for life, hope and personal dreams. An ex-banker by profession, Joe Zainul had a desire he knew his 9-to-5 job would never fulfil. Despite working for five years with a global banking group, he continued to feel a pull towards a thought he once had when travelling in Australia – to headline at the Sydney Opera House.

“I knew when I was all suited up for my banking job upon my return to Malaysia, my desire was distilled from my time in Australia. After spending the early part of my working life in public relations and advertising, I set off for Australia to help my sister with her food truck business in Darwin,” says Joe.

There, he took the opportunity to visit the Sydney Opera House, spurred by a childhood interest in opera. Even though he never got the chance to take music lessons, he was always drawn to operatic singing and admired Luciano Pavarotti. Being at the world-famous performing arts centre awakened a new desire in himself – to sing at the Sydney Opera House.

In the meantime, it was back to reality for him after his stint in Australia. Upon his homecoming, he settled into his life as a banker. However, in time he could no longer deny his longing to pursue a career in opera. Determined to turn his dream into a reality, he set off to the Malaysian Institute of Arts (MIA) to enquire about their classical music programmes.

He found that the art school offered a two-and-a-half-year diploma programme in music, and that he could major in classical voice and minor in classical piano. Realising that he could equip himself with the tools needed to become a singer on one of the world’s biggest stages further fanned the flames of his dream.

However, there was a catch. The MIA required prospective students to have a minimum Grade 5 qualification from ABRSM, the internationally-recognised musical education body from the UK. Yet, Joe was determined not to let his lack of music training deter him. He succeeded in winning over the MIA’s Head of Department and voice teacher with his vocal audition alone, earning a place in its diploma programme.

Thus, he left his banking career behind and spent his days playing catch-up to his new MIA classmates, who were also 10 years younger than him. As he had no foundation in music theory, he would spend hours at a time receiving personal coaching from his instructors to shore up his musical knowledge. Within one year and while pursuing his diploma from MIA, he was able to sit for and pass the Grade 5 ABRSM exam, a qualification which usually takes five years to achieve.

As he was completing his diploma programme, Joe then auditioned for the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, one of the UK’s prestigious music and drama schools and concert venues. Starting off with a one-year post-graduate certificate, Joe continued to apply himself to his craft and finished with a Master’s in Music (Vocal Performance) on a scholarship from the Conservatoire.

With his music qualifications under his belt, he found himself frustrated upon his return to Malaysia, however. This was as the classical music scene remains undeveloped and limited to a select group of singers. This inspired him to take matters into his own hands and create his own platform to perform and put his musical training into practice. In early 2017, he opened the doors of biJÖEx, a semi-fine dining restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. In addition to running the restaurant, on weekends Joe can be found belting out popular tunes for his patrons.

Patrons dining at biJÖEx Café

With biJÖEx gaining a strong following with the lunch and weekend crowd, 18 months into this venture Joe is already expanding. In August 2018, he launched biJÖEx Café, which will also have a musical spin. He plans to invite buskers to perform at the outlet and help them earn a living, which he also sees as his way of giving back to his community.

But don’t be fooled. Joe remains dedicated to realising his dream of taking the stage at the Sydney Opera House. In fact, he already has plans to audition for as many performances as he can on the regional circuit where he believes there is greater opportunity for opera singers to gain exposure.

“When I took that trip to the Sydney Opera House and told myself I would return to sing there, I was dreaming big. I feel that if your dream does not scare you, it is not big enough. That dream frightens me to this day, but it’s something I’ve told myself I want to do, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”

To Joe, his transformation journey probably awaits on the mammoth stage of the Sydney Opera House. Little does he know, however, that his undying passion has already resulted not only in his personal transformation, but more profoundly, that of the aspiring musicians who have found a voice through him. Joe is an example of how a burning desire to transform can overflow to transform the lives of others if we pursue it relentlessly. And looking at his persistence thus far, it doesn’t seem like he plans to quit anytime soon.


In conjunction with the musical theme of this article, we at PEMANDU Associates pay tribute to Aretha Franklin who passed away on 16 August 2018. She was an icon for music and women empowerment who inspired us with her talent and passion.

Reminding us that we could all use a little respect, we leave you with a quote from the Queen of Soul:  “I was asked what recording of mine I’d put in a time capsule, and it was ‘Respect.’ Because people want respect — even small children, even babies. As people, we deserve respect from one another.”

Learning Academy Masterclass: High Impact Delivery

PEMANDU Associates’ Learning Academy Masterclass returns with a one-day workshop focused on improving participants’ ability to structure their communication as well as develop and deliver compelling and impactful presentations in their engagement with their superiors. This workshop is targeted at young executives to mid-management executives.

Date: Tuesday, 28 August 2018

Time: 9.00 am – 5.30 pm

Location: Sunway Putra Hotel

Event Fee: RM1,200 per person


This workshop will cover:

Module 1: Structuring Your Thought Process

Module 2: Creating Compelling Presentation Decks

Module 3: Delivering an Impactful Presentation 

Seats are limited. Register now!

Click to download the Masterclass Programme Overview.

This workshop is HRDF claimable.
For further enquiries, kindly email: [email protected] or contact us at +6 019 283 7953.