Out of the Trenches

FOR about a year after assuming the helm at Bates Malaysia, Ahmad Shukri Rifaie kept a very low profile. He cocooned himself in his Level 11 office at Menara IGB in Kuala Lumpur.
Yes, it was a difficult period - not just for his company, but for the whole industry, and globally. It was 2003.
But the man wasn't in hiding. As uncertain as things were with the Cordiant Communications Group having just been taken over by WPP, Shukri was hard at work charting and preparing Bates Malaysia for its emergence into a new era.
Bates Worldwide was the main brand in the Cordiant Group, and rumours were rife that its Asian operations would be wound down, like WPP had done with Bates in the US and Europe.
But happily WPP, the world's largest marketing and communications services group, has since decided that Bates Asia - which Bates Malaysia comes under - would continue to operate as a WPP-owned stand-alone regional agency.
Bates Asia is now being re-launched, seemingly with a different focus, if its new logo featuring grains of rice, the region's staple food, is anything to go by.
Bates Malaysia has taken this one step further, by complementing it with icons of nasi lemak to give a distinctly local flavour to the image.
At the back of Shukri's calling card are five tiny boxes lined up to feature each stage of the nasi lemak preparation process: the nasi lemak in a wooden steamer; the rice being spooned on to a wrapper; addition of condiments; the wrapper being folded; and finally the familiar pyramid-shaped packed product ready to be served.
"This, in five tiny boxes, is what Bates Malaysia is all about. We understand the importance of providing relevant and insightful work. We believe in addressing micro segments of a market instead of cloning a cure-all global solution.
"Our new positioning will appeal to clients who are looking for the best local solutions with strong, world class insight and communications skills.
Shukri was appointed chief executive officer of Bates Malaysia in January 2003, 16 months after he joined the company as director of client services. The office environment, with its emphatically Balinese resort feel, looks inviting.
"This is not my doing. It was already like this when I joined," Shukri pre-empts the question as he eases into a rattan armchair.
"My former superior felt that since we spend so much time in the office, it's only right that we make the environment as pleasant as possible. Furthermore, we are in the advertising industry: we are the creative people - we dare to be different."
That seems to be the central philosophy of this 45-year-old advertising man who has spent almost half his life servicing clients, starting with his days as an account executive with the then PTM Thompson Advertising Sdn Bhd.
Joining PTM Thompson-the country's biggest advertising agency then – was actually what he had hoped for when he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communications (majoring in advertising) from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in 1983.
PTM Thompson, he says, gave him very good exposure. He was in the team responsible for the re-design and relaunch of Malaysia Airlines' corporate image and logo. His brief also included Tourism Malaysia, Nestle Malaysia and McDonnell Douglas Inc.
Six years later, he moved to Bozell Sdn Bhd as senior account executive responsible for, among others, Shell Malaysia, MUI Bank, Sunkist Growers Inc and India's tourism board.
This time he stayed only a year, then moved on to McCann-Erickson – a company that employs some 6,000 people worldwide - and in the next 12 years worked his way up from account manager, account director, to senior account director and finally group director in charge of four account directors who collectively managed jobs worth over RM50 million in advertising expenditure.
His tasks then included developing market and communications strategies,
as well as designing and implementing programmes for clients.
Shukri apparently performed very well, for in 1995 he was described as a
rising star in the industry by Hong Kong-based MEDIA Magazine. He was
also in the 50-member McCann-Erickson Worldwide Chairman Circle, a scheme
which provided high potential employees with special recognition as well
as career attention and development.
It was not surprising, therefore, that the company would sponsor his
participation in Princeton University's Leadership Development Programme
in New York.
So why did he leave the company for Bates Malaysia?
"After 12 years, it wasn't challenging anymore. I didn't think I could achieve what I wanted to do if I continued with McCann.
"Don't get me wrong. I wasn't hard up for the chief executive's post. In fact, I joined Bates Malaysia as director of client services. I was simply no longer enjoying what I was doing (at McCann)."
However, memories of his time at McCann are fond ones, especially during the time when he was handling Levi Strauss (M) Sdn Bhd and Coca-Cola Far East Ltd, two of the agency's top accounts.
For Levi's, Shukri revived the "501" brand and so successful was the campaign that the client achieved its four-year targets within eight months of its new image launch. This was despite a ruling by RTM back in 1992 that didn't allow denim blue jeans to be promoted on national television.
"We wanted someone who was `universal', someone who had nationwide acceptance among all the races. We saw that in (singer) Zainal Abidin. He was our talent and we used his songs for the commercial. If you recall, Zainal was in black jeans.
"Following that commercial, Levi's 501 black jeans were selling like hot cakes."
It was not unexpected, then, that when he moved to Bates Malaysia, Levi Strauss asked to follow.
"I didn't ask them. In fact, I didn't broach the subject with them at all. They asked me."
As for Coca-Cola, Shukri was responsible for the company's international television ommercial in 1998, which was created for airing during the fasting month of Ramadan.
"We (McCann-Erickson Malaysia) were up against an advertising agency from United Arab Emirates for the job. I went to Istanbul and Jakarta while another team went to Cairo and Bahrain to research similarities among Muslims around the world in breaking fast. We then put together a commercial called Charity and presented it to Coca-Cola at its headquarters in Atlanta."
It was aired in 20 Islamic countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the UAE, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco.
In the commercial, a young boy and his mother go to an orphanage bearing gifts; the mother has with her a rug and a basket of food while the boy carries a bottle of Coca-Cola. The boy makes friends and plays football with some of the orphans. Later, the boy scampers back to the orphanage to break fast and share the Coca-Cola with his newfound friends.
The commercial ends with a tagline "Dengan Tulus Ikhlas. Pastinya Coca-Cola (Always in good spirit. Always Coca-Cola)".
Still, Shukri says he and his Malaysian colleagues are frequently viewed in somewhat less than good light by prospective international clients. "Some think that locals don't have the creative capability to bring a brand to the international level, especially those `in your face' type of clients. Most of the time, we just have to hang in there."
Shukri doesn't see anything special in the way he handles his clients. He doesn't practise what he calls the "conventional way" of taking care of clients; which is to say, he doesn't do pubs or karaokes.
"Mostly, I just meet them over lunch. I keep my relationship with clients at a professional level. There is this understanding between us."
His good looks could easily land him jobs as a "talent" and in fact he has turned down several offers. "I work better behind the scenes, not in one."
On his university days, he says it was a matter of elimination when it came to deciding on a major.
"There were four majors to choose from: journalism, broadcasting, public relations and advertising.
"I struck out journalism because my English wasn't that good. I didn't choose broadcasting because back then, there was only RTM and so the job prospects were limited. As for PR, I thought it was only for beautiful girls," he laughs.
"So that left advertising," says Shukri, who was nicknamed Panjang by college mates because of his 186cm frame.
Today, this Kampung Bukit Bayan Lepas lad is understood to be one of only two Malays heading an international advertising agency in Malaysia. The other is Khairudin Rahim of Lowe & Partners Sdn Bhd.
Shukri says Bates Malaysia is ready to move forward, having put behind it the takeover exercise.
"When I joined the company, we were facing SARs and the Iraq war. I was facing the same issues as other CEOs in the advertising industry but I also had to handle the uncertainties associated with the takeover.
"It wasn't easy but I was confident enough not to start exploring other options. People said I was on a sinking ship but I didn't bail out. None of my people bailed out on me too.
"Yes, we lost some business to companies within the WWP group but we're still OK," says the father of daughter Nauwar, 11, and son Ahmad Haikal, 8. His wife is University Malaya language lecturer Dr Kamila Ghazali.
In 2002, Bates was positioned sixth in Malaysia in terms of total revenue. With over 85 employees, Bates Malaysia offers a full service discipline covering integrated marketing communications programmes, strategic planning, account management, and creative, specialised design as well as production and media services.
When he joined the company, apart from Levi Strauss, he also landed Dockers Khakis, Parkson Corporation, F & N Sarsi and BenQ Marketing Services as clients.
"Our new corporate identity represents the new optimism and renewed focus on Malaysia." says Shukri. "Spread the word, we are here to stay."

Expedition: Antartica

DR Azhar Hussin took so long to abseil down the 130m cliff-face that the South African Army and Air Force boys thought there had been a mishap. But the geologist was only taking his time; maybe lost track of it a little, even.
"It was my chance to study the rocks up close and I wasn't going to blow that away," he chuckles.
He made frequent stops along the way to photograph the surface of the rocks using his Canon A300 digital camera.
"It showed different things at different heights. Getting that close to a specimen allowed us to be conclusive in our findings."
It was Azhar's first stab at abseiling at that height, in fact, and that he chose to do so, of all places, in Antarctica, tells a lot about the man and his studies.
The Universiti Malaya associate professor actually even elected to be the first in the party to go down the cliff. "They (the Army and Air Force personnel) were arguing among themselves on who should go first. So I volunteered. It was great. The view all the way down was simply astonishing."
Azhar was one of 63 participants in the IV South African National Antarctica Expedition (SANAE). The only other Malaysian in the expedition was Amirrudin Ahmad, a fisheries lecturer with the University College of Science and Technology (Kustem). Their trip was sponsored by Akademi Sains Malaysia.
For his studies while at the icy bottom of the world, Azhar focused on the geographical links and similarities between Asia and Antarctica. Geologists have determined that the two continents were a single land mass about 150 million years ago.
In all, he and Amirrudin spent 42 days in Antarctica - from December 28, 2003 to February 7, 2004 - easily establishing a record for the longest stay by Malaysians on the icy continent.
During the time, Azhar got to accomplish quite a lot, with the weather being reasonably cooperative. The SANAE research station is located at Queen Maud Land, not quite the most touristy part of the continent. The six-year-old, very modern station can accommodate about 120 people, with indoor temperature maintained at a pleasant 18 degrees Celsius compared to -20 degrees Celsius outside.
Apart from abseiling, participants were given quick instructions on snowboarding, skiing and tobogganing. These were conducted in the hangar at the base camp until weather conditions allowed the activities to be taken outside. Hiking and crevassing were also organised.
Azhar was determined from the outset that nothing would stop him from carrying out his studies. So he also took lessons on operating the Skidoo, a motorised toboggan.
"Riding a bike is easy, but operating the Skidoo and on different terrain from area to area is another thing altogether. Still, I needed to use it to do the field work."
The Skidoo is fast and versatile but the rider is exposed to the elements. A crosswind of just 15 knots will push the temperature below –40 degrees Celsius.
"It's bitingly cold, the side of the face to the wind is numbed and can quickly get frost-bitten. You also lose vision even with the snow visor on."
Azhar was aware of the importance of being physically fit for the expedition, and had prepared for it. But only when he took his first walk outside the base camp did he realise how physically challenging it would be.
"I started with morning walks of up to just 1.5km, rest and then head back to camp. I gradually increased the distance to 15km and took on the undulating terrain little by little, under various weather conditions, with short rests in between."
At the research station, recreational activities include table tennis and pool or snooker in the games room. There are also two television lounges with a video library of some 500 titles, most of which are movies of the 1980s and 1990s.
"There is a 16mm projector as well, which screens movies from the 1940s to the 1960s, and whenever these movies are screened, popcorns are made available like in the old theatres. Quaint and fun," he says.
In the field, Azhar and his field operator Rick Lewis have only their RM25,000 tent for shelter. It can withstand cold of up to -70 degrees Celsius and winds up to 110 knots. It takes an hour to pitch it.
Wherever they set up tent, Azhar and Lewis have to be within radio communication with SANAE, as required by search and rescue procedures. "We have to report on the radio at least twice a day, at 8am and 8pm. As long as any team is away from the base camp, the air force is on standby for SAR operation."
On such forays, he wakes up at 4.30am for breakfast (there is no night in the Austral summer) and starts travelling at 5am. He returns only when fuel is low or when it's time to report to the base camp on radio.
One thing that Azhar hates is being cooped up at the base camp or in a tent when a snowstorm hits. "That's the most boring time. We cannot go out. Visibility is bad. You have to keep yourself occupied. Out in the field, temperatures were about -25 degrees Celsius and we had winds of 60 knots."
Food was not a problem as the base camp had a good chef. And before leaving Cape Town, Lewis had bought some Asian food for Azhar and Amir too.Azhar turned chef twice at the research station, cooking dinner comprising chicken curry with rice, beef in soya sauce, satay and sambal kacang. On each occasion, after dinner he made presentations - the first on Malaysian islands, and the other his findings in Antarctica.
"I'm used to cooking for myself," says the 50-year-old adventurer-academic, "so whipping up the dishes was not a problem."
The expedition team brought enough supplies of fresh meat and vegetables for themselves and the station's take-over and "year" teams. There is also enough canned food to last for two years, provided the stock is managed properly with the items being consumed in order of shelf-life.
Or they could dig up areas at former campsites where chances are they would find food supplies that were left behind.
"When we set up our tent at a site used by previous scientists, Lewis found meat dated as far back as 1948-49 and he ate it. It was still good. Antarctica is one giant refrigerator. Fresh produce does not have a shelf-life there."
Participants on the expedition are also given duties to ensure smooth operation of the research station. A skivvy duty means participants, in a group of six, will have to undertake menial duties such as cleaning the corridors, toilets, and doing the laundry... once in six days.
And there is the "smelly" duty, which is not what one might think it is, but only means melting snow and ice into water.
A group of six would shovel snow and ice into the "smelter", located 50 metres from the main research station building.
"Filling up the smelter takes 20-30 minutes. Three different groups are on duty daily to ensure that there is sufficient water supply for everybody. Each participant is on smelly duty every second day," Azhar says.
On the supply ship SA Agulhas, when approaching the continent, Azhar and Amir had to go through an initiation ritual as new passengers and crew.
Together with a number of other team members, they were lined up bare-chested on the helideck and made to lie flat on their backs in presenting themselves to "King Neptune", the ship's captain. Various "charges" are read out, with Azhar being found guilty of stowing away on the ship. His sentence was five dips in Antarctic waters.
"Six men, three on each side, lifted me high and dipped me into a large tub of freezing sea water. Then I was covered with eggs and flour!"
Azhar recalls that fortunately the sun was out that day, but still the water temperature was 0 degrees Celsius and the air a couple degrees higher.
Amir was charged with illegal fishing and received similar treatment. "All in all, it was the best fun we had on the ship and the evening was spent having a braai (barbecue)."
And a birthday party Antarctica-style?
A snowbath! A bath tub-like hole is dug in the snow and at midnight, the birthday boy strips to his underwear and lie himself down in the hole while others heap snow on him.
"Once he is buried, they pop a bottle of wine and offer the birthday boy a drink. He downs that to keep warm, and then is pulled up, and everybody goes back indoors for the party proper."
In Antartica, you are basically only allowed to leave footprints. Waste, even human waste, is taken back to the ship. "There is an environmental officer on each expedition and his job is to make sure that such procedures are observed. They are very particular about this (environment)."
And the first thing he did when he arrived back in Cape Town? "Look for a bank. That's civilisation for you."
Depending on funding, Azhar is planning to go back to the continent in December. The South African authorities have indicated interest in undertaking joint research with Malaysia on the new area that Azhar had charted.

Voters' wish list

WINNING the nod to represent the rakyat is the easy part, aspiring MPs are reminded, FAUZIAH ISMAIL reports.

"ELECTION lagi, kan? (Elections again, yes?)" says taxi driver Mohd Yusof. "Ada apa-apa cerita?" "Cerita apa, bang?" (What stories, brother?), I respond.
“Awak orang suratkhabar. Selalunya orang surat-khabar yang tahu benda- benda. (You are with a newspaper, you people know things.)"
I move - as casually as I can manage - to take off my name tag.
"Pernah tulis fasal wakil rakyat, orang macam mana yang kita mahu? (Ever written about the rakyat's representatives, what we expect of them?)," he continues.
Yusof confides that he has often wondered if he had helped put the right person in office in the last general election, demurring on who or which party he voted for.
"Undi kita kan rahsia (our vote is secret, right?). Sometimes, we will only know whether he is right for the job after we have elected him," he says, as he heads down Jalan Mahameru from Jalan Tun Razak; the 40-year- old icon of nationhood that is the Bangunan Parlimen gleaming against the blue sky just ahead.
Urban voters generally have more access than the rural folk to background information on candidates contesting in an election, which can hopefully be used to make an informed choice. Still, people like him, Yusof says, rely mostly on what others say.
"We can read the newspapers... but then, we cannot believe everything we read, yes?"
To be eligible to stand for election and become a Member of Parliament (MP), a candidate basically has only to be a Malaysian citizen; not less than 21 years old; of sound mind; and who is not an undischarged bankrupt; and does not have a criminal record.
Sounds straight forward enough, but that's the easy part, Yusof notes. "The hard part is to fulfil the huge responsibility after winning a seat. Not anyone can take up the job as a Yang Berhormat."
Denni Fahmi Adam, firmly believes that what the country needs is not a new government but a better one.
"Put it this way. Do we chop down a tree when its fruits are not to our expectations? Do we plant a new tree and wait for years simply on the chance that its fruits will be better? Or do we nurture the tree we have to enable it to give us the best fruits possible?" says the 30-year-old, a volunteer aid worker who has been to a war zone, and seen for himself what political upheaval can do to a country and its people.
"We should make the best of what we have. Some of the people in the government may not meet our expectations but we can always help put better ones in office."
Fahmi says while he agrees with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's call for party members to "work with me, not for me", it must be stressed that the elected MP should work for the rakyat, not himself.
Fahmi had played part-time poster boy and helped out in past election campaigns, but definitely not for the pay.
"It was pittance... we got a free T-shirt and we were fed... I just enjoyed the camaraderie."
One aspect of election campaigning he enjoys is the ceramah sessions staged by rival candidates.
"I try to go for both those given the ruling party and the Opposition. Some are really good, quite entertaining... laced with jokes and biting wit, but at the same time many listeners may not differentiate what's true and what's false.
"It's best to listen to both sides and weigh for yourself the quality of the candidates."
As for the biggest turn-off, Fahmi says he can't stand candidates who indulge in character assassinations. "I want someone who is able to articulate policies and contribute not only to the well-being of my constituency, but also towards nation-building. I don't need a representative who unfairly attacks his rivals."
Suhaimy Kamarudin will be a first-time voter, and he is firm about considering the party first, then only the candidate. "The party represents the bigger picture or agenda and I would cast my vote depending on what they want to achieve, have achieved, their service level thus far. "But I would probably make an exception if the personality is particularly charismatic."
Suhaimy, with a background in human resource management, says he will "ask around", especially at the ground level, when sizing up a candidate.
"You'd be surprised by the stuff you can get at the mamak stall, where the so-called authorities on local politics gather to discuss affairs of the state over teh tarik. Their comments need to be taken with a pinch of salt, of course. And I would also try to read both the mainstream papers and the not-so-mainstream Internet publications, just to get a balanced view.
"Talking to my peers also give me a pretty good perspective. They are mainly in their late 20s and early 30s. They have a somewhat different view of things than the older generations, like on freedom of speech, dissent, objectivity and transparency."
Suhaimy says he is realistic and is not looking for the "perfect MP". "I'd settle for someone decent, with a strong sense of duty, integrity and fair play. Transparency is important, and charisma wouldn't hurt. I mean I would be very nervous voting for someone who is sloppy or cannot put a coherent sentence together."
Not quite as an afterthought, he adds: "Someone proactive will be useful, don't simply blame things that go wrong on `acts of God'."
Many politicians tend to shoot themselves in the foot by making inane statements too, he says.
"If they don't know, just say `I don't know', and then go find out. Instead I see some of them trying so hard to appear smart and only end up looking the opposite."
Suhaimy is not overly concerned if his MP doesn't have paper qualifications. "It's the quality of the thinking process that counts. He must be able to operate at least at the tactical, if not strategic or visionary, level."
And the rakyat must always be the top priority. "They must have that mindset. We (the rakyat) put them them after all."
Another first-time voter, Ziad Razak, also feels that the MP should put the rakyat first, especially when formulating laws in parliament.
"I think it's important for lawmakers to have a feel for the people. If not propose, at least support laws that can make a difference in people's lives for the better. It's big responsibility and I don't know if many MPs are up to it," says the trader with a major oil and gas firm.
Ziad also believes that the constituents themselves have a big role to play in making the system work.
People here, he laments, rarely write to their MPs - if ever. "It is very common in the UK. When I was studying there, I remember that whenever there was an issue of national, regional or even local importance, there would be "write to your MPs" campaigns." For example, when the Labour Government proposed hiking university fees, the student unions put up posters and urged people to write to their MPs to complain, he says.
"I miss that kind of culture - a mature political culture. I don't even know who my current MP is, and I've been back in the country for several years now," adds the 25-year-old.
Fadhillah Mustaffa agrees. "The concept of balik kawasan (visiting the constituency) or turun padang (going down to the field) does not seems to exist in the city. Even if there are events such as festive gatherings, it is politically driven."
She lists three main qualities she wants to see in an MP: accessibility, commitment and integrity.
"Accessibility and visibility for a wakil rakyat in an urban area is probably quite challenging as the voters' expectations are high."
And she has a suggestion: "Use the Internet."
"I won't want to impose on him at his office or `gate-crash' his home, so a website or e-mail address could work. But, of course, he must make an effort to read all e-mails and respond to them."
Another registered voter, who requests anonymity, says she has stopped casting her vote for three general elections now. None of the candidates fielded, be they from the ruling party or the Opposition, has been worthy of her vote, she claims.
"I am in a profession where I can find out things about candidates quite easily. So I am able to assess whether they are the kind who will service the constituency to the best of their ability and, at the same time, deliver what the party leadership wants."
She says she can't help but feel that at times the sole basis for naming a candidate - or retaining an MP to contest the same seat - is the perceived chances of chalking up a win. "It's a numbers game, it doesn't matter if another person could actually do the job better. That to me is reality, but still very sad."