| Danial Norjidi |
HIRING locals is good business, makes sense and is a way to contribute back to the country.
These were among the points highlighted by a panel of business owners at a dialogue session during the Young Entrepreneur Association Brunei (YEAB)’s fourth INSIGHT business networking and dinner event at the Radisson Hotel yesterday.
The dialogue centred on the topic ‘In Support of Localisation: Can Local Talents be Empowered to Grow Our Businesses?’. It featured a panel comprising KMST Sdn Bhd Director and General Manager Edwin Solomon Khan, Esca Marine & Engineering CEO Marshiem Taufik, and epiPeople Consultants co-founder Reuben Chin.
The session was moderated by YEAB Vice President Kaewen Tan.
Responding to a question about his entrepreneurial journey during the discussion, Marshiem Taufik shared that when he started his company, he hired locals and had to train them himself.
“At the end of the day, it really feels good to know that you’re able to actually contribute in this way back to the country, creating jobs for the local labour market,” he said.
“Seeing the potential of locals, as these guys can really do it, these guys can come on time, these guys can listen to instructions and carry them out really well, these guys give me ideas and point out what’s wrong and what’s the right way,” he added.
“This is what motivates me. At the end of the day, I think it’s become more of a passion, a drive.”
Meanwhile, Edwin Solomon Khan high-lighted the importance of finding the right person for the right job. On hiring the right talents for one’s organisation, he said, “It’s a numbers game. You have to keep interviewing until you find the right person, and you’ll get someone.”
With regards to his company’s preference of hiring locals, he said, “We always look for locals. The job market is good for employers now, so it makes sense to us to hire locals.”
Sharing his views on what employees really want in their jobs, Reuben Chin cited an example from the Harvard Business Review.
“They want a career. They want a community of people that are like-minded to us. And finally, they want a cause – something that they believe in, that they can work towards,” he said.
On hiring the right people for an organisation, he pointed toward the i-Ready apprenticeship programme, adding that “there is so much talent out there”.
“I think it’s just good business to hire locals,” he said. “It’s easier, there’s no cultural clash, and being local also means they can be more resourceful.”
Supported by Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd, the event gathered over 65 entrepreneurs from various fields and industries.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, Legislative Council member Yang Berhormat Nik Hafimi binti Abdul Haadii and Ambassador of Japan to Brunei Darussalam Motohiko Kato were present.
In her welcoming remarks, YEAB President Fatin binti Arifin said, “We hosted YEAB INSIGHT inaugurally in November last year after extensive discussions with some of our members about how we can best support their businesses’ growth especially during the difficult times when the future seems bleak.
“When things seem challenging, it is easy to be discouraged especially when business isn’t going the way we expect it to be. It is also fairly common to fall into the trap of thinking we are alone in facing challenges,” she continued. “Hence, we established INSIGHT as part of an initiative to support our entrepreneurs to build resilient businesses and have a platform to discuss important matters that affect businesses while also creating opportunities for quality networking among entrepreneurs.”
She added that YEAB has set its sights on developing the best entrepreneurs who have the passion to drive the development of the nation.
“We aspire to play our part in developing entrepreneurs with a global vision and mindset, and that means leveraging on our network abroad such as the ASEAN Young Entrepreneur Council to engage in productive efforts, including promoting entrepreneurs’ participation in international forums and summits. We also conduct other initiatives such as the Breakfast Mentorship Series and the OpenChats, among other business related programmes,” she said.