I was invited to an event called the RojakSong on Friday, 14.5.2010, by Alpha Lim, a twitter buddy which I have never really interact much except when I met him a few times at a few social media events. The problem with social media event in real life, you meet too many people at any one time that you are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of names and faces that you have to put together. So, unless you get in touch with each other later through a smaller intimate gathering or through chance meeting where there is a smaller number of people, you will forget the people you have just got to know. That is why I love to have what most Twitterer called a tweetup where you meet up through a twitter invitations.
However, let me go to explaining who is Francis. It was none other than Tan Sri (Dr.) Francis Yeoh, who is the Managing Director of YTL Corporation, a conglomerate, which is well-known the world over with interest in a so many businesses at so many countries. I am so enthralled to meet him at the RojakSong event as I have been following his company progress through its newsletters and as a member of its special privilege card. And that does not include the news that they always make through media. So, those at the events have known him by reputation way before meeting him in person that day. Some of the bloggers had met him before as he was presence at the opening of the National Geographic store at Lot 10, a mall within the shopping district of Bukit Bintang. He even talked to these bloggers by calling them over as he remembers them from that event.
What I can say about Francis is that he is so easy to be approached that night as he started his speech by asking people to call him by his name, without his title and treat him like a friend. He also talked about what Rojak Song is all about. For those who don't know, rojak is a Malaysian dish which everything goes into a plate but topped by a delicious groundnut gravy. As the word "everything goes" are used, it is also used to described how Malaysia is made out of so many cultures and people. His vision is to say that we have so many amazing things happening all around us and we should record them to show to the world what we have. He then showed us 3 clips of Malaysians at restaurant preparing dishes in amazing ways. You can understand more about them at their website here : Rojak Song. You can also read Becky's post on the event here : Rebeccasaw.com. And join Rojak Song on Twitter and Facebook and see the pictures from the events.
This event is a part of a series in which YTL under their YTL Communication banner is trying to engage social media advocates like us who cannot live without our constant updates or conversation through our blogs, twitter, Facebook, Youtube and other thing which depends on internet connections. They are promising a 4G network and we are holding them to their promise. This Rojak Song is my 3rd event with them as I have seen them at another 2 events in which I managed to talk to the CEO of YTL Communication. Francis also has his son in the company and he seems to make YTL Communication as one of the company he wants to succeed in their project. For what they promise, I want them to succeed too.
We actually asked him all sort of questions and when it came to my turn, I told him I love the resorts which are own by YTL and is hoping to go to more of them. I managed to talk about the advantage of social media as a way to bypass traditional advertising as lawyers in Malaysia is not allow to advertise in them. As for social media, the lawyers who head the Bar Council seem to close one eye on its existence.
So, for my own selfish reason, I hope they succeed in catching a segment of the competitive internet market in Malaysia with my legal firm and I getting its benefits.
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| Francis with the host for the night, Phat Fabes |
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| Francis with the winners for one of the contest |
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