The Malaysian Reserve

Leaders who engage in consistent renewal create the conditions for sustainable performance

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

• Appeared in print edition of TMR (The Malaysian Reserve) on 24th November 2025 – click for scanned copy.
• Appeared in online edition of TMR on 26th November 2025 – click to go to TMR online article.

Slowing down becomes a moment of strengthening as leaders rewire with intention (Pic: AFP)

LEADERSHIP is often measured by results, but long-term effectiveness depends on a leader’s ability to renew strength, clarity and purpose. Without renewal, there is a feeling of same-old same old.

Then performance eventually dips, decision-making dulls and leaders drift away from the connection between their responsibilities and their inner compass.

Earlier this year, I underwent bypass surgery. It was a harrowing period that disrupted my routine and momentum. It really tested my resilience as I faced pain and total weakness.

At first I saw it as a medical interruption. It then became a period of deep reflection on what sustains a leader through painful trials and tribulations.

Read More “Rewire, refire, renew: The HEART of leadership – TMR Edition”

How Muslim leaders can translate mission-oriented frameworks into faith-conscious strategy

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

• Appeared in print edition of TMR (The Malaysian Reserve) on 10th November 2025 – click for scanned copy.
• Appeared in online edition of TMR on 12th November 2025 – click to go to TMR online article.

(pic: MEDIA MULIA)

Revisiting Autonomous Knowledge


IN MY previous article, I challenged us to unlearn defaults entrenched by coloniality and to generate autonomous knowledge rooted in Quranic guidance and Prophetic practice.

Today, I pick up that thread through the lens of strategy frameworks which already exist in the secular world and explore how they might be re-interpreted and re-grounded for faith-conscious leaders.

Lately, I’ve been reading the book Venture Meets Mission by Arun Gupta, Gerard George and Thomas Fewer. It argues that capitalism itself is shifting: From pure profit-seeking to purpose-seeking.

Organisations now talk about aligning people, purpose and profit to create societal transformation. That’s appealing to me. For us Muslim professionals, the question becomes: How do we translate that alignment into strategy that honours Allah, serves mankind and ensures sustainable impact? That is when mission truly meets deen.

Read More “Mission-driven strategy: When faith reframes people, purpose and profit – TMR Edition”

Alhamdulillah. I am grateful to share a meaningful milestone in my leadership journey.

Starting this month (November 2025), I am contributing fortnightly to The Malaysian Reserve (TMR), one of Malaysia’s respected business and financial newspapers. My articles appear in the print edition every other Monday, followed by the online version a few days later. (The print edition is weekly.)

This opportunity emerged naturally and unexpectedly, through conversations and sharings over the past months, especially after my bypass surgery earlier this year. That difficult period reshaped how I viewed purpose, resilience and the inner foundations of leadership. It also deepened my intention to write regularly and offer meaningful reflections to leaders navigating today’s complexities.

TMR’s readership consists of business leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, executives and professionals. I hope to bring value to them through practical insights shaped by lived experience, reflection, and the frameworks I have developed over the years.

Read More “A New Chapter: Writing for The Malaysian Reserve”