"Have you been to KL Megasale?" asked my friend. I replied  yes with a wry smile; for I don't have much money  to spend. My wife has been deferring all our purchases so that we can buy cheaper things during megasales.Honestly, it is a good practice just to be patient for a few months;you can sometimes get things for half the price.My Siemens handphone I bought six months ago now cost 45% of the original price.

I think this August month is very special. Not only we have our usual megasales every quarter, but we have Megawati  Sukarnoputri elected as the fifth President of Indonesia as well as the proposed mega-deprivatisation of Renong group! As far as I know MAS and IWK were taken back by the government earlier. In my personal view, basic and strategic assets and services should remain in the hands of  the government. According to my Japanese friend in water industry, not one of Japanese water treatments is privatised. My good luck to President Megawati to lead a mega-nation with mega problems and also to Malaysians with money to burn to go shopping at our many megamalls in Kuala Lumpur!

It seems that we are so fond of using the word mega. Last month, we had mega-makan( grand dinner) in Melaka! And this month, I saw mega banners and read about a proposal to do a cable car from Genting to KLCC. I just wonder what we are really trying to achieve-as many world records or what?? As far as dinasaurs or Godzillas,size does matter but when it comes projects or events,the  contents and the beneficiaries do matter!

Coming back to our megasales, the only different I see is just the price. No new products,no new services and no new shows.It is just like weekly pasar malam near my house but in bigger size.The creativity and cultural elements are missing. We are still in the p-economy mindset and as yet to migrate to k-economy paradigm.

The first time I heard of the word mega was from my science class;something related to 10 to the power of 6.That is a big number and I will take days to count to a million.I don't know how many because I have never tried and had not have the chance to own a million ringgit at any time. May be those millionaires who are used to counting in mega units are so fond of talking or doing any mega-projects or events. Many of them dreamt and thought in mega projects, borrowed  in mega ringgit and now were admitted as mega-patients in Danaharta.May be one lesson for those sick companies to learn is that you can think BIG but start small and grow organically.Forget about take-over or mega-projects using borrowed money.

Is it wrong to do mega-projects? KLCC is one mega-project but it is doing a roaring business!Mega projects got a bad name because of a few that seem to have failed. Certain projects take time to materialise.One 'high standing ' example is Eiffel Tower! Mega project is a project of big size.As along as the benefits cost ratio is positive, I will support it.If it is a government mega-project, the mega benefits must go to  the people.If it is a private sector project, the stakeholders(shareholders,directors/staff) must benefit. It is the basic principle of accountability and corporate governance.Period.

17.08.2001