WORDS FROM THE TOP: President Mariam Sulaiman’s Message

As the year draws to an end, I would like to extend a big thank you to all members who have in one way or another contributed their time, energy and efforts in supporting NAWEM’s activities in 1997.

It was a slow but meaningful December:

Dec 13: Attended the launch of the Peniagawati Foster Parenting programme and pledged to sponsor one child.

Dec.13: Attended PAAC’s 16^th Anniversary and Prize Giving Tea. Congratulations to Bien in taking her institution to where it is today.

Dec 13: The 1997 NAWEM BALL at the KLGCC at Bukit Kiara was a resounding success .I would like to thank the FUN CLUB committee for an excellent job and great performance. It was magic! For those who missed the party of the year, do make sure you're around to enjoy it this year.

Dec 24: Attended the briefing chaired by Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim followed by a round table discussion chaired by Minister of Entrepreneur Devt, Datuk Mustapa Mohamed on the problems faced by SMI operators during the economic slowdown. Those affected can contact the newly formed Taskforce via MITI or Ministry of Entrepreneur Devt.

I am happy to report that we have finalised the NAWEM Directory, which should be out in Q1, 1998. Thank you Evelyn (VP Membership) & Sham(Committee Member) for making it happen. Once again, a very Happy New Year to all members! To all our Muslim members and friends "SELAMAT BERPUASA ''

We ended this year with a bang. On 13 December 1997, we held our very own NAWEM BALL organised by the NAWEM FUN CLUB, a group of very talented and dynamic women. Guest of honour was YB Datuk Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. We were kept entertained through the night by:

• THE X’TREMES, our very own Nawem All Girls Revue, consisted of Rozzana Chung, Joanne Ng, Quek Lee Heng, Jenny Shabudin, Petrina, Florence Foo, Bahiyah Datuk Borhan, Elaine Chang, Lesley Mah and Evelyn Chen;
• Our singing nightingale, Rozzana Chung who demonstrated the usefulness of having healthy lungs when she belted out some entertaining songs.
• Ann Lee our Madame Antionnette de Sheng-sheng-sheng, who had our sides bursting with laughter during her half-hour skit In fact, as we were rolling off our chairs, Mdm Antionette’s wig was also rolling off…

Dr. Bien who conducted the Dutch Auction with such inimitable style, successfully collected RM 6,420 for AWAM.,the All Women Action Movement, a charitable organisation NAWEM selected to receive the proceeds from the auction. Successful bidders were Datuk Shahrizat and Puan Shamsimar – congratulations!

Our big thank you to all our generous donors who have helped NAWEM do its bit for society and also to the wonderful people who donated the priceless articles for the auction.

• Dutch Auction Donors: Datuk Nor Azah Awin, Datuk Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Puan Sri Suraya Abdullah, Puan Mohaiyani Shamsudin & Puan Sri Susan Cheah.
• Prizes/Gifts: Mariam Tan Sri Sulaiman, Sarojini Ruth, Soong Yoke Yin, Dr. Bien Mei Nien, Rozzana Chung, Shamsimar Md. Yusof, Hazimah Zainudddin, Fauziah Abbas, Laila Johari, Joanne Kong, Husna Wahi, Suzan Leong, Tengku Rahimah, Puan. Sri Susan Cheah, Cynthia Hawkins, Rina Abdullah, Zunaidah Zulkifli, Datin Siti Khalidah, Rita Sim, Sandra Gripes, Celia Yap, Usha Rajasingam, Puan Sri Tessie Lim, Liza Nazari, Paramjit Kaur, Usha Antoineitte, Mable Yap, Ann Lee, Goh Kah Kheng, Mariam Ariff, Rosey Ma, Rozila Hanum, Rosaline Ch’ng, Julie Zainal Abidin, Leong Set Fee and AVON.
• Money: All those who attended the function.

CONGRATULATIONS to Bahiyah Borhan for The Most Creative Hat & Jenny Shabudin for The Most Outrageous Hat.

The Least Imaginative Hat went to none other than Mike Moi, Husna's husband who came to the Ball with a fishing hat and sportingly went back with his prize - a big 'D' hat!

A big Thank You once again to THE FUN CLUB girls for the great work. Keep it up –boy, next year will be a tough act to follow!

Eight new members joined NAWEM in December. We welcome all of them and they are:

Associate Member:

• Mariam Theresa of V Donough Boutique. Tel: 248 1111/012 200 5337

Friends of NAWEM:

• Mariam Ariff (Personal Grooming) Tel/Fax: 252 5315
• Margaret Goh Im Choon of Persian Delights (Art & Deco). Tel: 263 6331/010 222 9173
• Umi Salmah Mohd. Nasir of TA Securities (Remisier). Tel: 232 2325/012 2973 002
• Karen Lee Yoon Fah of Normandy Advisory Services (Financial Consultant). Tel: 017 881 5378
• Chong Guan Kiew of BHLB Pacific Trust Management (Unit Trust Agent). Tel: 780 2845
• Antoineitte Fatima Usha of Millennium Business (Hair/Beauty Saloon/Modelling). Tel:013 331 0326
• Foo Sook Yuen (Tailor). Tel: 703 8222

Our membership as at year end stands at 189. Keep spreading the good word around girls and get your partners, friends, sisters and all to join us at NAWEM.

Direct membership enquiries to Evelyn Chen at tel: 779 3824 or e-mail:<evelyn@pjpoint.com.my>

The Good Times are over! Belt-tightening and careful planning of cash-flows are a must to help our businesses to tide over the rough days ahead. Prices will soar before they fall and no one is predicting when our currency woes will be over.

What can we do in such times?

This is the time for training yourself and your staff. In the past wild years of double-digit growth, you complained that you had no time to take a break to up-skill yourself or your staff as business was expanding. In fact, in good times, you can be profitable even when you are inefficient! Now is as good a time as any to invest in developing your human resources, to give you some competitive edge over others. Competition will not disappear; in fact, it will be fiercer because the pie is so much smaller.

However, NAWEM cannot be organising courses blindly. Although the Committee can guess at the areas you may be interested in, we want to be sure. We would like YOU members to write or call in to indicate the areas YOU want us to plan. Some ideas are the following: Debt Collection Strategies, Cash-Flow Management, Financing the Business, Marketing in Recessions, Retrenching: Do’s and Don’ts.

NAWEM members who are training Consultants can submit proposals on the programmes they can conduct that are suitable for NAWEM members. Write in stating the areas and fees that you will charge. E-mail Bien: <paac@po.jaring.my>