Expanding AINNA's market footprint into the Klang Valley required us to be on the ground almost every week for client meetings, programme briefings, and operational reviews tied to our PKS-focused solutions.
Some weeks were single-day sprints from morning until evening; other weeks stretched across two or three consecutive days.
The itinerary covered KL, Subang, Shah Alam, Gombak, Bangi, USJ, Hartamas, MATRADE, MITI, PPAS, Sunway Resort, PKS Corp, EXIM Bank and numerous other locations.
From a finance and accounting perspective, skipping these engagements was never an option. They provided market intelligence, policy updates, partnership leads, and ecosystem developments that directly influence our P&L, cash flow forecasting, and the business value we deliver to Malaysian PKS.
Throughout this period, every accommodation choice was viewed through a cost-centre lens. We tested every category, from unstarred hotels to five-star properties, with expenses either self-funded or covered by programme sponsors.
If I were to reconcile the ledger, the room-nights would likely run into the hundreds, while homestay entries alone would exceed twenty line items. These are not trivial amounts when mapped against project budgets and client acquisition ROI.
But of all the overnight arrangements I have tested, the one that delivers the strongest financial logik is… sleeping in the company SUV.
The locations have varied considerably.
We have stopped at multiple R&R plazas, areas near toll plazas, mamak shop fronts, lakefront parking, suitable car parks, and even once at Lorong Haji Taib, right beside the police station - partly for asset security and partly for operational convenience.
When meetings end late at night and the next morning's programme starts early, the marginal cost of a hotel room for only a few hours of sleep does not pass a simple cost-benefit test. I unfold a mattress, arrange a pillow, and convert the SUV into a mobile rest unit.
It is difficult to explain, but every time I choose this option, the satisfaction is different from a typical hotel stay.
I believe this comes from the same discipline that underpins good financial operations: extracting maximum utility from an owned asset.
Fortunately, the vehicle is a diesel SUV. From a fuel-cost standpoint, the difference between running the air-conditioner or not is marginal. For roughly eight hours, the diesel expense usually stays below RM10.
The compact cabin also cools quickly, though sometimes too quickly. Operational comfort matters, but capex and opex discipline matter more.
Of course, sleeping in a vehicle carries real risks, particularly around ventilation and exhaust fumes. That is why I always ensure there is a window opening and adequate airflow.
Yet, for me, the experience retains a value that is hard to capture on a spreadsheet.
It may be because my approach to assets and resource allocation is fundamentally practical rather than ceremonial.
I have camped more than a hundred times, including solo trips on remote mountain peaks. That background shapes how I view fixed assets, operating expenditure, and the lean deployment of resources for PKS growth.
Perhaps that is why, despite having stayed at a wide range of hotels and resorts, when the decision is framed around cost, control, and readiness…
sleeping in the SUV still delivers a satisfaction that a five-star hotel struggles to match.
Sometimes, when you are in the middle of building something, luxury is not what stays with you.
What endures is the capital discipline, the resourceful decisions, the unconventional stops, and the measurable business value those choices create - exactly the mindset we apply at AINNA when helping Malaysian PKS strengthen their financial operations and asset management.
