A Malaysian Fairy Tale

Once upon a time in a legendary country in South East Asia there was a mat salleh with a problem. He had been in this country for just over three years and although he liked it very much he wanted to go home eventually. He really liked the people, he really liked the food and he really, really liked Tiger beer but he knew that one day he had to return to Australia. The problem was he could only return when he found the right person to take his place - someone who liked the people, liked the food and liked Tiger beer (or Baileys Irish cream).

It wasn't going to be easy to find such a person so the mat salleh set off on a quest - like the one for the Holy Grail in the Da Vinci code. He started off by asking for advice - some people waved their arms around a lot (Wong Kang Hwee) and offered lots and lots of advice, others told the mat salleh to look hard and further afield - who knows what you will find they said. So he looked, and he looked but found nothing - no matter how hard he looked and how much advice he took.

Then one day, as if by chance he stumbled upon a fair damsel - not in distress but actually happy and content. The mat salleh and the damsel met - he was getting worried as the quest had led him nowhere so far; she was cool and collected about the whole thing.

The meeting went well, the damsel lived in a castle close by, she had carefully arranged to be born on the same day as the mat salleh's daughter - the omens were good and the deal was done - a replacement had been found! The damsel did like the people (and the people liked her), the damsel did like the food (but never ate much) and the damsel really liked Baileys.

The mat salleh got to go home however reluctantly, the damsel took his place - and did a much better job than he could do!

And they all lived happily ever after.

The really nice thing about this is that it is not a fairy tale - it's a true story. I worked in Malaysia for five years and was very fortunate to find Siew Lin - happy and contented in Lorong Batai and to be able to persuade her to join Arthur Andersen and work with me. Siew Lin is a remarkable woman and a remarkable professional. She is somewhat of a perfectionist - about which we had many discussions; she is generous and warm hearted and has a great natural charm. I have always been aware of her many special qualities but have only come to realise the great inner strength she possesses over the past few years. This inner strength has served her well in confronting the challenges she has faced.

I am very grateful to be able to count her as a true friend.

Christopher M. Butler
May 2006