Family & Life Magazine Issue 11 | Page 9

nine years. Our profits were of course meager compared to other banks.” rebuffed Pun. “When I got my licence back at the end of 2012, our deposits stood at zero, our loan book stood at zero!. Today, we have about 400 billion kyats in deposits. To put that number into perspective, the largest privately owned bank in the country has approximately 2 trillion kyats in deposits. You can appreciate how far behind we are and how much more work we need to do to become part of the top taxpayers’ list.” If there is one thing that Pun does admit to, it is that a few high-ranking officials within the regime at that time had his back and helped him to prosper, not because they were given money but because they genuinely believed in Pun’s vision and felt his passion for the country. “Not everyone in the military was void of conscience. There were good generals within the leadership who knew the difference between good and bad, and who would do the right thing. They allowed me to carry on with my business without any unethical demands,” Pun shares. These military officials would permit Pun to engage in a variety of different real estate projects because they knew that he could deliver. And he always did. Now, as Myanmar opens her doors to overseas investors under its current reformist President Thein Sein, Pun is already starting to reap the benefits of his staunch anticorruption stance. Many of these investors are beating a path to Pun’s door for his knowledge of the local market, above-the-board business ethics, amazing track record and immense capabilities. ANGEL OF NARGIS But, there is more to Pun than just savvy business acumen. When Cyclone Nargis made landfall on 2 May 2008, it devastated the country. The cyclone laid waste to the densely populated Irrawaddy delta and caused at least 138,000 fatalities and US$10 billion worth of damages. It was a huge catastrophe, made worse by the junta’s initial refusal to accept foreign aid under conditions set by the donors. Relief efforts were hindered by the blockage of supplies coming in; for the whole month of May, the United Nations, through no fault of their own, could only schedule one flight of supplies into the affected areas. View from an apartment in Pun Hlaing Golf Estate, one of Pun’s signature property projects in Myanmar I want to contribute my own bit to the global agendas that have a big impact on the world. Top on this list, predictably, is tackling corruption. Andrew Kirkwood, the then country director of Save the Children, which was one of the few charities allowed to operate in Myanmar, was becoming desperate. One of Kirkwood’s associates gave him Pun’s number and told him that he was the man that could help. Kirkwood approached Pun and told him, in no uncertain terms, that tens of thousands of people would perish if Kirkwood could not fly in the emergency supplies and aid. Pun didn’t need convincing. “Let me tell you, Pun is the unsung hero of the Nargis relief efforts. While the UN could only arrange one flight in May, the man somehow managed to arrange 16 flights to come in and distribute US$65 million worth of supplies,” says Kirkwood. It was a dangerous move by Pun due to the political climate back then. Pun could have potentially upset the ruling military government, who were already not his biggest fans, to the point that they would shut him down permanently. “He put all his big business interests at risk to do what he thought was right,” states Kirkwood. Doing the right thing did not come easy. Pun stayed in the shadows, seeking out his contacts and quietly negotiating for landing permits. And once he did all he could do, Pun disappeared as swiftly as he came. The torrent of news reports and media coverage never once mentioned Pun’s central role in the relief efforts. And the silent angel of Nargis never craved for it. He chose to help. That was it. Today, there is an Environmentally Sustainable Pilot Village at Aw Pyone Wa located at the mouth of the Bay of Bengal, fully rebuilt after its total destruction, by Pun with the support of the Singapore Red Cross and other donors standing as evidence of what he did in relief and reconstruction. The more than 1,000 relief volunteers that Pun organised from his rank and file within days of the disaster have long tales to tell about their Chairman during those challenging months, but they were never used it as self serving or promotional fodder. LEGACY OF PUN Choice. It’s a fitting word to describe Pun’s pragmatic approach in life, whether he’s battling corruption, running his business or raising his family. As Pun eloquently puts it, participating in corruption was a choice and he elected not to play it. “The consequence of my choice was that I had to be prepared to lose business deals. I am prepared for that consequence and my choice is something that I am happy to live with,” says Pun. It’s an attitude that he has passed on to his four children. One of his four sons, Cyrus, remembers a childhood filled with lessons about morality. “My dad never said that he wanted us to be successful or to be rich. He just wanted us to do the right thing. He set the perfect example that you can still be successful in Myanmar without being corrupt.” And now, as Pun approaches the golden years of his life and with his sons making a name for themselves in the business world, Pun is starting to contemplate retirement, though not in the traditional sense of the word. Instead, Pun has set his sights on a mission grander than the advancement of his business interests – helping to improve society. “I want to contribute my own bit to the global agendas that have a big impact on the world,” says Pun. Top on this list, predictably, is tackling corruption. Just a bit further down is advocating for more transparency in government. It is Pun’s little way of penning his name