Malaysians Charting Success Away from Home Through Hard Work

By Hazlinda Hamzah LONDON, May 8 (Bernama) -- Recently, a group of Malaysians, including 20 university students from the International Islamic University of Malaysia (UIAM) as well as media practitioners, visited the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) in Oxford. The entourage left the Malaysia Hall at Queensborough Terrace here on a 45-seater bus at 7.15am. They were accompanied by Ahmad Dzuhair Hanafiah, a Malaysian business entrepreneur, who had lived in London for six years. Ahmad Dzuhair and his wife stay in the vicinity of the Kensington underground station. Ahmad Dzuhair is rather multi-talented, including in the business industry. The half-day trip to Oxford was a well-guided tour with Ahmad Dzuhair, who was always warm and polite, acting as the 'tour guide' to guests from Malaysia. MALAYSIAN HOSPITALITY "It is our Malaysian hospitality. Wherever we are and wherever we go, we tend to facilitate as best as we can and accommodate to the needs of our guests. "It is our natural way of attending to things," Ahmad Dzuhair told this writer during the trip. Ahmad Dzuhair was the chairman of Kelab (Club) Umno London until last year, and he enjoys the opportunity to meet Malaysians in the United Kingdom (UK) as well as those who come to London for social visits. He said Malaysians are making their mark in the market as there are some 55,000 Malaysian professionals making their living in this country. STRENGTH "It is evident that Malaysians can survive in this country. Many Malaysians have proven their strength and are multi-talented, enabling them to progress in many disciplines, including in business," he added. Having been in business for six years in the UK, Ahmad Dzuhair and his partner, Nasri Abdul Rashid, are the strength behind Crown Ace Limited UK. They both aim to build Crown Ace into a ‘glocal’ multi-disciplined company based on Malaysian values and culture. Equipped with a Master's (Science) degree in Energy, Trade and Finance from City University, London, Ahmad Dzuhair is knowledgeable and a confident Malaysian, who is a part of the business fraternity here. ENTREPRENEUR Ahmad Dzuhair admitted that he is more inclined towards being an entrepreneur and realised that doing business in the UK is far more challenging. "One has to be more forward thinking. There are opportunities created for Malaysians who are interested in becoming entrepreneurs as assistance is available from the government and People's Trust Council (Mara)," said the Pulau Pinang-born. To be a good leader, according to Ahmad Dzuhair, one needs to be led first before leading others. "In whatever we do, we must learn to balance and learn to always process any information obtained. Learning to walk first before trying to dash is certainly an advice essential to all, especially those doing business. "Being an entrepreneur does not mean that it will lead the person towards a cash-rich life," he said. He said in order to venture into the business sector in a foreign land, the individual has to be brave, consistent and full of determination, adding that an entrepreneur with positive potential in business must have dying hunger for success. Ahmad Dzuhair’s partner, Nasri, was a student at De Montfort University, Leicester, where he obtained a BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance, with the assistance of funds from Mara. FACING CHALLENGES Despite the various challenges faced while doing business on foreign soil, Crown Ace has gone from strength to strength. The entity started off by focussing on transport, and there was undeniably a huge demand for transportation services by Malaysian government agencies based in London as well as from other Malaysians who would visit the UK from time to time then. It then moved forward, and the business expanded further through the establishment of a subsidiary company that specialised in property management, in line with the opportunities present within the property industry in London then. In 2007, the company set up logistics services, specialising in shipping, transfers and relocations, focusing on Malaysian individuals, companies and government agencies residing in the UK. It is also involved in the transportation of either their personal effects or items of commercial value to Malaysia. Currently, the company manages a portfolio of properties within the UK, actively seeking potential investors, partners or even possible joint ventures with fellow Malaysians or Malaysian companies. Over the years, the company has managed to build a good reputation based on its efficiency, reliability and competitive rates, including amongst British residents themselves. Ahmad Dzuhair and his partner are extremely focussed in achieving their goals. The process of settling down may prove to be a difficult affair, but many Malaysians have proven themselves to be successful in facing such challenges away from home by enduring a journey made up of a lot of hard work. -- BERNAMA