ASEAN Young Entrepreneur Symposium (A-YES) 2007

I now have friends all over the ASEAN countries. Being among the entrepreneurs from all over ASEAN countries is a new-found pride for me. I am proud to represent Singapore in my own country as A-YES's Young Entrepreneur. It is a new organization set up by MeDC, the entrepreneur organization of Malaysia to encourage the forming of partnerships towards the progress of entrepreneurs in the whole of ASEAN. It is impressive to see foreign delegates from all over ASEAN converging in one place, sharing the same vision of bringing entrepreneurship in ASEAN to a new level collaboratively.

I got a roommate who is a Vietnamese, most people say Vietnamese girls are demure and pretty and with the roommate I got, I will not deny that. Being a director of a gifts traing company, she was very open abt talking abt her business. Delegates from Laos and Cambodia were also very forthcoming about collaboration and partnerships in business, talking abt areas of businessin their country that they would wish for improvements. Singapore being a country that is alr technologically advanced would be more than glad to come together to assist and join venture. And that is where my strength lies, forming partnerships that I hope could be meaningful and powerful enough to bring my organization's entrepreneurship to the next level.

I am also proud to have met the participants of contestants of Malaysia's first Apprentice ala Survivor show called 'Kaliber' which were being filmed attending this event. I was amazed that one of the contestant who is now in the Top 13 was proactive enough to come up to me to get feedback on the entrepreneur scene in Singapore and after that even suggested ways I could help him close a deal for his contest. As a return, he introduced me to prominent people in the production of his show who could be helpful for my organization. Talk about Win-win! Glad to be part of Malaysia's reality show.

Attending this symposium as a delegate also gave me the opportunity to hear first hand the speech of Dato' Najib, our Deputy Prime Minister on his views on the competitiveness of being an entrepreneur in Malaysia. I was dissapointed though with the lack of dynamism and even enthusiasm shown by a leader whom I look up to. being used to a country that is fast moving all the time, I could not bear not being motivated by a slow speaking leader but I have to give him the benefit of the doubt that perhaps he wants everyone to catch every single word he spoke.

Well, all in all, it was a very good symposium for the fact that I met so many valuable contacts from all over the world. I will cherish the memories of my Vietnamese roomate asking me about the market in Singapore and Malaysia, I will remember the polite words of the Laotians telling me about poverty and lack of transportation in their country and I will always remember the courteous words by Cambodians of how they wish their citizens can speak English so that their country can be developed a little faster. Great way of meeting so many ppl from so many countries without spending a bomb.