What can you do?
I did not have much options, I was down on my luck and cash, hoping that this will be my big break and more projects to come from the friend who awarded the project to us. If I had cash I would ask him to fly kite and run the project myself. I teamed up with the Taiwanese because on pretext of his financial strength.
All the horrendous expereince of creditors coming to my office with abusing languange, knocking on my door in the middle of the night, red paint, melted door is coming back to me. It took me a lot of effort to manovre myself out fo the shithole and I am not digging another one to jump in again. I reasoned with him for many nights, giving him assurance and analysze the contract with him in great depth, on the pretext that I still believe he is capable to bring in the money to run the project.
I even brought in a subcontractor to start the works going, buying time for the Taiwanese to reconsider, seems there was a silver lining that he will be able to convince Taiwan to send the money. When he saw the subcontractor performing well, he become more convinced that we should just total sub the job to the subcon. I could have done it and pass on the buck to the subcon, but I was worried, from the bad and distasteful expereince I had not long ago, I am worried that the Taiwanese may have the upper hand on the recievables from the client start screwing payments due to the subcon.
And me being the bridge for the subcon and Taiwanese, I will be the natural scapegoat if that ever happened. I can't imagine screwing a friend (the subcon spent money on the project and can't collect) and if things turns bad debt collectors coming to my house again looking for me, whilst the Taiwanese can just pack and leave Malaysia, bagging all the money from the job.
I was in a fix, and this time I will not be the victim, I decided to burn the bridge... the subcon expect payment at end of 4th week for his labours, I do not have much time. The longer I delay the decision I risk losing a friend and befallen to a bigger shit hole.
I drove all the way down to Klang, the HQ of the client, scheduled a meeting with the boss and brought the subcon with me. Introduced them, explained to both parties my predicament and recomended a solution, ie, to cut the Taiwanese company (supposedly my company also) off the contract and deal directly with the subcon, since the Taiwanese is not finanicng the job (the subcon is so far), not managing the job ( I am) and has no contribution whatsoever on the job. Even the fxxking site vehicle for the job was purchased under my girfriend's name (a hint I should have noticed then, we have to take over the loan when the Taiwanese packed his back and left, another story for the laugh)
It was decided then, the deal was strucked, the Taiwanese is out and the subcon is dealing directly with the client., I leave it to the subcon if he needs me my contribution on the job, I could have asked for 2% intro fee if I had stemmed my case but I was too ashamed what had happened and the risk I put him through I did not open my mouth.
I am just trying to remember very hard how the Taiwanese left, if I remember correctly was under the pretext that I sent some goons after him and he was scared or something. Me? sending goons? never! haha. Anyway, the chapter closed with me gaining an extra ounce of failed experienced with my school mate who was dating him end up married to him few years later and I have not heard of him ever since.
I would not say it was an entirely failed exercise as it really gave me insights of how to deal with foreigners or investors wannabe and it also prompt me to quit my dream chasing and landed a job in the oil & gas industry which has brought me to exotic places like Dubai, Sudan, Perth, China, Bintulu etc...
Well, as always, that is another chapter of my life and another story altogether...
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