Im selling our Sdn Bhd outright. I wouldn't ask anyone to invest in it and I wouldn't want to invest in someone else's company either.
Over the years.....ill just summarize fast.....a local wanted to invest in ours and it was so obvious they wanted to literally steal the company away from us. Others wanted me to invest their enterprises and again it was so obvious they had no intention of ever being honest and have a real partnership.
It was interesting that the Chinese among them were plying exactly the same "lets be partners" method I saw in mainland China in which a real partnership would be basically impossible. And the laugh is that these same types in Malaysia who thought they were so clever were themselves usually cheated when they went to China.
There are many problems about this and the main one is that the foreigner is so keen to get something going they are willing to overlook obvious things in the disbelief THIS guy would actually cheat him. They put it out out of their minds, blank it out, because they think their keenness and eagerness will somehow overrun and overwhelm the cheating part and they will prevail and succeed.
One lesson I never forgot was a story in the news about a foreigner, some white guy, who got cornered in a conversation by three Malays who persuaded him to join them in a simple game of cards. They said no money was involved as it was only for fun and gambling was haram anyway. Just for fun, at one of the men's homes in a kampung. He went, and they played all day and night. Because the foreigner won almost every game, he got arrogant and suggested they play for a dollar or something. The men proceeded to win RM3000 worth of games and the foreigner didnt have the money. So they took him to an ATM several times (during which time he was their prisoner because of the debt) until he had lost RM6000 and the account was empty. He couldnt go to the police because then he would have to admit to illegal gambling. I dont have the details of the story right but the important thing is the story is how Asia is and Malaysia particularly. Whenever any Malaysian mentions the word BUSINESS, I recall this story and think.
Its not to say there isnt a good and honest way of people to conduct business but foreigners are on the downside of the entire matter and have little chance of it working out *IF* there is a way for it not to work out. Im not even sure I would invest with someone I knew well. Most likely not.
Some good advice given to me long ago. If something is worth doing, its worth doing yourself.
You should like that piece of advice but if you dont, remember that it was Malaysians who long ago taught the Portuguese sea piracy--how to approach a boat, gain the confidence of the captain, board the boat, steal the cargo and get away. Since many Malaysian roots are from Sumatra, its thought the Indonesians knew and practiced this piracy first. I see pirate faces around Malaysia, they are not rare.
Is this a distinctly cynical post? Yeah, well, whatever. Some things in life you must commit to fully, take risks, take your chances. You cant live as a hermit and succeed. But learn to pick your fights well, think first, learn the ways, and recall for perspective Mark Twain: Its easier to stay out than to get out. If you are not smart enough to rich enough to play, then dont rely on others to play for you--because they will.