SAMENTA installation

I'm unsure about the reason behind my wife's beaming smile upon receiving her Certificate of Recognition from the Penang Chief Minister earlier this month. Perhaps there was a private joke exchanged on stage among the people there. In any case, the occasion was the SAMENTA northern branch installation event held on 14 November. SAMENTA serves as the trade association representing small and medium-sized enterprises in the country.

There were a number of presentations to the SAMENTA members and guests before and after the arrival of the Chief Minister, the speakers coming from the Affin Bank Group, HRD Corp, MDC, Council of the Justices of Peace and SAMENTA itself. To my mind, the most eloquent speaker was the SAMENTA national president, William Ng, who gave an impressive off-the-cuff speech, talking facts and offering proposals and suggestions. He is the type of leader that SAMENTA needs to progress.

The Chief Minister found himself caught off-guard towards the conclusion of the event when a cake was unexpectedly wheeled into the function hall. Unbeknownst to him, SAMENTA was well aware of his birthday and wanted to commemorate the occasion. He seemed visibly moved as the entire assembly erupted into a spontaneous birthday song. As the function came to a close, around 20 reporters and photographers blocked his path to the escalator, surprising him with yet another lively singing session.