Jade Lim I Beyond Image

Today I was conducting SI-RAPI™️ image strategy consulting for a senior corporate executive with extensive experience in multinational environments. She has spent the past few years working in Europe and is now transitioning into a regional leadership role in Asia, where she will oversee multiple country teams.

During our casual conversation, she shared an interesting observation: many people assume life in Western countries is inherently better and that developed nations are always faster and more convenient. However, her lived experience has been quite different, and it has made her appreciate Malaysia even more.

She gave several examples. In France, many administrative processes are still quite traditional and manual, resulting in slower efficiency. For instance, work permit processing can take around three months, and even a physical driving licence card may take up to one to two years to be issued—during which time only a temporary document is used for driving. In contrast, many services in Malaysia are already digitalised; when she returned recently to renew her passport, it took only five minutes.

In terms of daily living, even with financial means, domestic help is not easily available, and most household chores must be done personally. In Malaysia, however, cleaning and household services are highly accessible and easy to arrange.

After hearing her sharing, I feel that living in Malaysia is quite a blessing. As a C-level corporate executive, she has no financial constraints, yet money alone cannot buy convenience in daily life. I sincerely applaud Malaysia’s continued progress in digitalisation and lifestyle convenience. 👏