The world today is in crisis. The US-China trade war, the North Korea and Iran nuclear threat, Brexit and the list go on.  The world seems to be a place full of arguments, difference of opinions, dissatisfactions, etc.  It is not just the superpowers that are at the brink of war. The smaller nations are also facing constant political wars as well.  Most notably the sex video scandal in Malaysia and the series of ongoing demonstrations in Hong Kong.

While trade wars are bad for the economy and businesses, the truth is that it has no impact on micro businesses.  Whether the US imposes more tariff on China imports or vice versa, the ‘makcik nasi lemak’ or ‘Ah Heng wantan mee’ are not going to feel any effect.  Even if the trade wars stops completely tomorrow, the same ‘makcik’ and ‘Ah Heng’ will not feel any improvements either since it is already extremely challenging doing business.

But what is truly bad for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are its internal affairs. While policies have a direct impact on businesses, the most damaging are the bitter infighting among business partners or in a business family. These types of domestic wars can and will severely affect the running of a business.

Our elders used to say that back in the old day’s business were done based on principle and trust.  There was no such thing as business agreements or contracts.  Back then people upheld the right values and stay true to it.  But it’s different today. In todays’ modern society, even with the advancement of technology where learning is made a million times simpler, while people understand the true values and principles of life, they tend to interpret them differently from time-to-time to cater to their own advantage so that they will always be the winner when there is a dispute.

Business agreements or contracts is as good as a worthless piece of paper when parties in the agreement decide to interpret the clauses according to what they deem fit.  Nothing in this modern society can uphold values and principles anymore.  The word ‘trust’ only exist when there is no dispute.  What then about the rule of law?

As we continue to make progress at a rapid pace, we are becoming more self-centered and at the same time more harmful to each other as well.  I wonder what will be the End Game for us Homo Sapiens (humans).

God bless MSMEs!