DATO' JOSEPH KOW, GENNEVA GOLD AND PARCEL POST HOSTED BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR GOVERNOR OF PENANG ON 15 APRIL

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

IT WAS A NIGHT TO REMEMBER ON 15 APRIL 2012 AT EQUATORIAL PENANG AS DATO' JOSEPH KOW, HIS LOVELY WIFE DATIN VERONICA KOW AND GORGEOUS DAUGHTER HOSTED THE 74TH BIRTHDAY OF THE GOVERNOR OF PENANG TOGETHER WITH GENNEVA GOLD BULLION AND PARCEL POST.

TYT Tun Dato Seri Utama Dr Haji Abdul Rahman Haji Abbas blowing out his candles on his birthday cake shaped as gold bullion as host Dato Joseph Kow and wife Datin Veronica Kow at extreme right plus directors of Genneva Gold looked on.

Yuma Yabuki from Tokyo, Japan, AFS exchange student from AFS Japan delivering Parcel Post box to big boss Dato Joseph Kow with MD Jacalyn Kow at right.

The Governor of Penang, TYT Tun Abdul Rahman Haji Abbas signing the plaque to launch Parcel Post on 15 April 2012

Parcel Post is now launched! Contact 04- 6606 909 for details and Parcel Post will even pack for you!

The wife of the Penang Governor Yang Amat Bahagia Toh Puan Datin Seri Utama Hajjah Majimor binti Shariff placing her palm on the globe to light it and signify Parcel Post's global domination! From left, the Governor of Penang, Datin Veronica Kow and Jacalyn Kow at extreme right

Datin Veronica Kow thanking the Governor of Penang while Dato Joseph Kow thanks Toh Puan Majimor


IT WAS CERTAINLY AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENING AS 3 EPIC EVENTS WERE CELEBRATED ONE AFTER ANOTHER AND IF YOU COUNT THE AWARDING OF GOLD, SILVER AND SENIOR CONSULTANTS AWARDS IT WOULD BE 4 EVENTS AND IF YOU INSIST ON COUNTING THE CHEQUE PRESENTATION TO WORTHY CAUSES, THEN IT TOTALS 5 SPECIAL EVENTS!

The birthday boy was the Yang DiPertua Negeri Pulau Pinang Tuan Yang Terutama Tun Dato' Seri Utama Dr Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Abbas who was accompanied by his wife Yang Bahagia Toh Puan Dato' Seri Utama Hajjah Majimor Binti Shariff.

Held in Equatorial's Matahari Ballroom which could accomodate the 1,100 guests, the gala was one the highlight of Penang's social calender so far. Dato' Joseph Kow originally wanted the ornate E & O Ballroom which would be nice as I have never stayed or even been at this historic hotel but the ballroom could not squeeze in the 1,100 guests. To think Genneva started with 40 tables (which was quite a lot already) when it started trading 3 years ago under the Samudra GV name when it was launched on 26 December 2009. Then the tables swelled to 80 and now 110 tables. They may have to hold their next party in the stadium!

It was a bit of deja vu for the Governor of Penang as YTY Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas also launched the inaugural event in 2009 and now he is repeating the feat under the new banner of 'Genneva Penang' and no longer under Samudra-GV.

I arrived before noon on 15 April and spent half an hour admiring Equatorial's pool, verdant gardens and Penang's skyline from my balcony before descending to Matahari to watch the rehearsal by Dato' Joseph Kow's family and team. He is the Regional Director of Genneva Malaysia and run the Penang branch while his 20-something graduate from Melbourne Monash University daughter Jacalyn Kow runs the newly established Parcel Post.

Genneva sells gold as in gold coins, wafers, bars and bullion which you buy and sell like in the good old days of the Gold Standard. Unlike some banks which give you a bankbook detailing how much gold you own, Genneva sells you solid gold which you can hold, kiss, lick and press against your cheek or breast! Nothing beats the feeling of real, solid gold you can actually touch, more so when you don't even have share certificates anymore as everything in the KL Bourse is online! I had friends who based their wealth on the height and weight of their share certificates! Now some of them plaster their study rooms with these antique papers!

But Genneva offers the traditional alternative of being able to buy and sell gold!

As for Parcel Post, it is similar to a courier delivery service except they will do the packing for you! Of course you can pack yourself but should the Ming vase need arrive unscathed you might as well let Parcel Post pack for you!

Check out this great service at www.parcel-post.net

The Who's Who of Penang who graced the Kow's party (apart from the Governor and his wife) were Ketua Polis Pulau Pinang Dato Wira Ayub, Ketua Jabatan Pengatuan Jalan (JPJ) Dato Hassan Haji Yaccob, President Persatuan Melayu Pulau Pinang Dato Seri Yusof Latiff, President of Penang Swimming Club K.H Chan, President of Penang Sports Club Dr Shankar, Naib Profesor Yayasan Canselor Universiti Tenaga Dato Seri Maskuri, Penang Head of Pathology Dato Dr Bhupinder Singh, Consul General of Japan Tetsuro Kai, Consul General of Indonesia Pak Chilman Arisman and Consul General of Thailand Voradet Viravakin.

In his welcome speech, Dato Joseph Kow thanked TYT Tun Abdul Rahman Abbad and Toh Puan Majimor and the board of directors of Genneva Malaysia CEO Dato Tan Liang Keat, International Marketing Director Dato Phillip Lim, director Dato Mohd Azmi Dato Abdul Aziz and advisors Dato Sunny Yee and Dato William Chin.

Dato Joseph Kow noted with gratitude His Excellency the Governor of Penang had specifically flown back from Kuala Lumpur at 4pm that same afternoon after attending the coronation of the King and Queen of Malaysia just to be with us.

"Thank you so much YTY Tun for your tremendous effort to grace our event," said Dato Joseph Kow. "When we began operation in Penang in 2009, we operated under Samudra GV. YTY Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas launched it at Bayview hotel. Since then we have become a Syariah compliant company and our institutional status was launched by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad our former Prime Minister on 15 December 2010.

"In our first year we sold RM 60 million worth of gold. In 2011 I bravely committed in the presence of Tun and Toh Puan we would have sales of RM 100 million in 2011---I am proud to announce we sold RM 117 million and exceeded our target!

"Then I took a greater challenge to have sales of RM 20 million a month for Genneva Malaysia. We are again proud to announce within 3 months from January to March 2012 we achieved total sales of RM 127 million when our target was RM 60 million!

"This is due to our team of Consultants who have worked so tirelessly in educating the public about the value of gold in good and bad times. Our Consultants have earned the respect of over 30,000 customers who have bought over RM 3 billion from Genneva Malaysia over the last 3 years.

"We now have branches in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh, Batu Pahat, Sitiawan, Seremban, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak and soon Kota Baru and Johore Baru. We opened our Beijing office recently on 27 March 2012."

Dato Kow is a fervent believer in gold and declares it will never cease to shine even in the darkest economic cycle. He noted, "In my interview with The Star published on 16 February 2012, I stated the gold of price will increase between 5 to 8 percent this year. The recent contraction of gold has seen a huge increase in sales as investors buy now before the next bullish phase begins."

After the speeches by Dato Tan Liang Keat and Dato Joseph Kow, cheques were presented to charitable organisations by the Penang Governor. The Governor then launched Genneva Penang followed by Parcel Post. Awards were also given to top achievers while a lady with a winsome smile was selected to win the 'Night of a 1000 Golden Smiles' award. I thought it would be me after my teeth job by Dr Datuk Sean Paul of Livingwell Clinic...

Entertainment was provided by the amazingly talented Helmi the Gimmick who appeared as an Indian before morphing into a Chinaman and finally Michael Jackson! Now that is really 1Malaysia!

I enjoyed myself so much I stayed till the very end and would have stayed till dawn drinking had not I been asked politely by Equatorial staff to vacate my seat as they needed to clean the Ballroom.

Here are the photos in chronological order;

Jacalyn Kow with her grandfather Victor Tan

Victor Tan, the father of Datin Veronica Kow, Kee Hua Chee and Yuma Yabuki

Jonathan Kow, Kee Hua Chee and Yuma Yabuki plan to start a boy band...

Yuma Yabuki, his 'Malaysian mum' Datin Veronica Kow, Jacalyn Kow and her grandfather Victor Tan

Yuma Yabuki, Datin Veronica Kow, Jacalyn Kow, Victor Tan and Kee Hua Chee

Yuma Yabuki in his batek shirt bought for him by his foster family and Kee Hua Chee in Tangoo jacket and personalised pants painted in Bangkok

Yuma looking yummy

Yummy Yuma

All set for J-Pop as Yuma is Japanese

Yuma and his foster brother Jonathan Kow are both 16

Jacalyn Kow with her school mates

Kee Hua Chee joins in

Winsome threesome

Looking spiffy in Baju Kebaya

Yuma, Kee Hua Chee, president of Persatuan Melayu Pulau Pinang Dato seri Yusof Latiff and wife and Jacalyn Kow of Parcel Post

Jacalyn Kow and guests and foster brother Yuma at right

2 Penang lovelies

The Consul General of Indonesia Pak Chilman Arisman and wife

Kee Hua Chee signing in

Guests being informed of their table number

Dato Mohd Azmi Dato Abdul Aziz greeting Datin Veronica Kow while waiting for the Governor of Penang to arrive

Left; Dato Azmi, Dato Joseph Kow and his family, wife Datin Veronica Kow, daughter Jacalyn Kow and son Jonathan Kow

Kee Hua Chee joins in

The directors and owners of Genneva Gold

Gathering of Genneva team

The Genneva management team and associates

Yuma Yabuki, the Consul General of Japan Tetsuro Kai and Dato Joseph Kow

The welcome banner says it all

Arrival of the Chief of Police Ketua Polis Pulau Pinang Dato Wira Ayub being welcomed by Dato Joseph Kow

Penang's top cop chattin with Genneva directors

Jacalyn Kow and Kee Hua Chee retreated to the VIP Room for some air conditioning while waiting for the Governor of Penang's arrival

Jacalyn Kow and Yuma Yabuki

Kee Hua Chee, Jacalyn Kow and Jonathan Kow

THE ARRIVAL OF THE GOVERNOR OF PENANG TUAN YANG TERUTAMA TUN DATO SERI UTAMA DR HAJI ABDUL RAHMAN BIN ABBAS AND HIS WIFE TOH PUAN MAJIMOR SHARIFF

The Governor of Penang being warmly welcomed by Dato Joseph Kow

The Penang Governor being welcomed by Dato Phillip Lim

The wife of the Governor of Penang Toh Puan Majimor Shariff is warmly welcomed

The Governor of Penang and his wife being welcomed by Datin Veronica Kow, wife of Dato Joseph Kow of Genneva Penang and Parcel Post

The Governor of Penang being escorted to Matahari Ballroom by Dato Joseph Kow

A red carpet welcome

Jacalyn Kow, Datin Veronica Kow and Toh Puan Datin Seri Utama Majimor Shariff

Jacalym Kow, Datin Veronica Kow, Toh Puan Majimor and Yuma Yabuki

Sharing a joke; Datin Veronica Kow, Toh Puan Majimor and Yuma Yabuki

Directors of Genneva Malaysia with the Governor of Penang and his wife

The Governor of Penang escorted by Dato Joseph Kow greeting guests

Entering Matahari Ballroom

Standing to attention as Negara-Ku is played

Toh Puan Majimor's table

View from the stage

Showing off Genneva bullion

Dinner is served

All ready for a sumptuous repast

Signages in foyer

Senior Consultants

All that glitters is gold!

Genneva gold bullion

Cheque presentation


Waiting for the birthday cake

Bullion shaped cake

All ready

All set


Singing Happy Birthday

Happy 74th birthday Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas

Happy birthday!

Cutting the cake

Launching of Genneva Penang under its own name and not Samudra GV anymore

Genneva Malaysia Penang Branch is now launched!

Datin Veronica Kow, Toh Puan Majimor, Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas, Dato Joseph Kow and Jacalyn Kow waiting for the first 'delivery' from Parcel Post, the new courier/delivery service

Arrival of first despatch box by Yuma!

The Governor of Penang TYT Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas officially launching Parcel Post M Sdn Bhd with his signature

Everyone is so happy!

Toh Puan Majimor too launches Parcel Post by bringing life to the magic ball

A big Thank You from the Kows to their Excellencies
for launching Parcel Post

ENTERTAINMENT AND MERRYMAKING

Helmi the Gimmick at work

The Gloved One

Michael Jackson is resurrected

The handsome quartet

The new generation

Jonathan Kow and Kee Hua Chee

Daryl and Kee Hua Chee

Kee Hua Chee wins hands down in the bling department

Jacalyn Kow concedes defeat in the bling department

Kee Hua Chee and Yuma Yabuki

Yuma's hair won the Best Coiffure for Men

Yuma and Daryl

THE END