❓What is it like becoming a Deputy Minister in a government that’s never been in power before?

❓What was the relationship really like between Malaysia’s then Prime Minister & Deputy Prime Minister, Mahathir & Anuar?

❓How does one pick a constituency and why even politics in the first place when you can make good money as a BCG consultant?

If you haven’t already guessed it, today’s STIMY guest is Dr Ong Kian Ming aka imokman.

He went from being a BCG consultant to a lecturer and policy analyst at UCSI University and director of the Malaysian Electoral Roll Analysis Project (MERAP). He then entered politics and eventually became the Deputy Minister, Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia in July 2018!

If you don’t know anything about Malaysian politics, here’s a heads up: Kian Ming (legitimately) thought he would always be in the opposition. The then incumbent government had been in power since Independence Day for the past 60+ years!

So as you can imagine, today’s conversation focuses on politics. A lot. 

Touching on things like why Kian Ming chose to enter politics, what it was like becoming a Deputy Minister, what went so wrong (e.g. the Sheraton Move!), why he’s setting up a PPE course and so much more.

Highlights:

• 2:07 imokman
• 3:32 Wanting to be rich
• 4:22 Being an ASEAN scholar
• 6:44 Seeking a “higher purpose” in BCG?!
• 9:14 Make your boss look good (not your client!)
• 10:29 Public policy
• 15:06 How his PhD in political science helped his career
• 19:24 Meeting Tony Pua & blogging
• 20:50 Sacrifices we don’t know?
• 22:32 “The Talk” with the wife
• 24:18 Only 2 terms?!
• 26:21 Preparing for his first election
• 29:51 Deciding who to help
• 32:40 Managing expectations from his constituents
• 33:32 Giving safe financial support
• 34:49 I’ll be in opposition forever?!
• 37:06 The manifesto
• 38:29 Managing the euphoria
• 40:34 Building trust
• 41:47 The legacy he inherited at MITI from Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz
• 44:56 Industry 4.0
• 47:23 That $70 billion investment from China
• 49:24 The realities of running trade investment missions
• 50:50 How does China see Malaysia?
• 53:36 The Sheraton Move - what really happened?
• 55:49 What could’ve been done differently?
• 57:05 The relationship between Mahathir & Anuar
• 58:56 No reelection
• 1:00:17 How do we know if constituents are actually doing the work?
• 1:01:11 Wishing he’d worked better with his minister
• 1:03:31 Who’s a lifelong politician?
• 1:04:43 When is it time to leave?
• 1:05:26 Building Malaysia’s first PPE Course (and future Malaysian Prime Ministers?!)

📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/121

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