Idol: Career Women

Matrade’s Wong beats normal civil service hours
WOMEN IN BUSINESS By EUGENE MAHALINGAM

HER childhood ambition was to become a doctor but at 17, Dr Wong Lai Sum realised she was not emotionally prepared for the medical profession.

“When I was 17, I helped nurse my mum's friend who was dying of cancer. I was in the cancer ward and saw the way she died. I cried so hard.

“It was then that I realised that I could not handle pain. I knew I could never become a doctor because nobody wants a crying doctor,” said the deputy chief executive officer (CEO) of Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade).

Undeterred and driven by a constant thirst for knowledge, she still earned the title of “doctor” by obtaining a doctorate in business.

Wong's rise up the ranks in the civil service began with a degree in biochemistry from Universiti Malaya.

“Back then, there were not many opportunities for a biochemist.
“I graduated from a class of 10, but today I think only one of us actually became a biochemist.”

The self-professed “100% KL-ite” received job offers from big companies that offered overseas postings, but for her, home is where the heart is.

As a fresh graduate, Wong did try working away from KL and spent a month in Malacca as the only female management trainee at an electronics company. However, her father fell ill and she rushed home to help her mother care for him.

At the same time, there was a major recruitment drive in the civil sector and Wong applied without any hesitation.

“I took it (a post in the civil sector) because I wanted to remain close to my parents as all my siblings had left home. I was fortunate that I was not transferred out of KL,” she adds.
Wong joined Matrade as human resources manager and moved on to become head of corporate division. She was later promoted to strategic planning director and subsequently deputy CEO.

A typical working day for Wong starts at a time when most people are still in deep slumber.

“I wake up everyday at four. With a cup of coffee in hand, I then spend about 1½ hours on the Internet, checking my mail. I get about 150 to 200 mail a day.”

After whipping up the family's meals for the day and some personal time on her trusty treadmill, the mother of three drops one of her sons off at school and finally heads to work.

She is usually in the office by 7am.
“I'm in early because I need to clear my e-mail, check my appointments for the day and plan (for) them accordingly,” she says.

As the day unfolds, it is usually full of meetings and more meetings for Wong.
Matrade's primary role is assisting Malaysian companies to develop and expand their export markets, and providing a range of services and assistance to Malaysian exporters as well as foreign buyers.

“My day is spent having discussions with my directors and officers, planning programmes and activities for the day and the near future.

“Sometimes, there are talks and meetings with business people and ministers, and official dinners,” she adds.

Wong's account of her typical day at the office certainly clears up one of the most common fallacies associated with the civil service.

“My husband was very happy to marry someone who worked in the civil service, because he assumed that I would finish work at 5:30pm everyday. How wrong he was!” With such a busy schedule, does she have any “family time”?

“I believe in compartmentalisation, be it in my work or my personal life. It's not that my family doesn't have any demands,” she said.

“My husband wants me to be a good wife, my children want me to be a good mother, and my mother expects me to be a good daughter! So I have to meet their demands as well!”
Wong says a typical weekend usually involves cooking, shopping and spending time with the family - assuming that work does not get stretched to the weekend.

“Nowadays, it's hard to draw a line between when work begins and when it ends,” she said.
“Our (Matrade) offices are all around the world. With so many time zones (to consider), it is very hard to stop work at 5.30pm,” she adds.

Wong describes herself as a person who is not afraid of challenges or new things. “I feel if you do not try something new, you don't know where your strengths are.”

She is also a strong believer that one should never stop seeking knowledge.
“What is important is a person's contribution, whether you are in the civil service or the private sector.

“To become a better contributor, you need knowledge to give you a better balance. You should never stop looking for it,” she says. Her advice to the younger generation? “Young people must be ready and believe in themselves. Always be gung-ho and try new things.”