An incredibly meticulous individual who’s able to maintain the utmost level of cleanliness on an expansive Gold Award Eco resort, the iron lady – Cik Bunga
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Pulling up to Commonwealth Forest Park Falls entrance, we were met with an unexpected sight: a gathering of monkeys and trash scattered all over. After informing the guard of our appointment with Cik Bunga, we began driving up the hill to Commonwealth Eco Forest Park & Resort and couldn’t help but marvel at the transformation that had taken place. Suddenly gone was the mess from before; in its place was a beautiful landscape of perfectly arranged outdoor features. We hardly believed what lay before us!
After arriving at our destination, Nisa’ and I made a beeline for Loaves & Bites to meet Cik Bunga. Our appetites had been whetted by the mouth-watering menu on display — much to our delight, there was an array of delicious dishes, sweet desserts, and coffee in the midst of a lush forest resort. Having positioned the camera, I attempted to grab a quick snack before being approached by an affable lady, who was dressed immaculately in her kaftan top and heels. “Are you Mims?” I nodded. Then, she inquired with a comforting embrace before encouraging us to have a seat while she hurried off on her chores. The minute she settled, she was adamant that we sample her cakes. It’s a very familiar experience for Malaysians – when visiting their family members, nothing beats the pleasure of gathering around the table to enjoy a meal together! No time was wasted for hospitality; the moment we arrived, our host, Cik Bunga made us feel relaxed and at ease.
We then had a pleasant conversation about the Behind Her Smile campaign, and it was time to move on to the interview. We were keenly interested to hear her responses which would surely inspire our readers!
Why did you decide to start Commonwealth Eco Forest Park & Resort?
Before the pandemic, my career was in the oil and gas industry. The work was often hectic since any small mistake had potential to create a big incident or even an explosion. It wasn’t a field many women ventured into but it taught me important lessons; namely, to pay attention to detail and be as close to perfectionist as possible.
Upon the arrival of COVID-19, however, my longing for home set in. As much as being able to provide for my family financially was meaningful, so too was being able to spend time with them at home – baking, playing and just enjoying each other’s company. Thus, it led me down a new path of retirement from oil and gas and an embrace of development projects with my husband’s construction company instead.
At the end of 2016, a friend asked for help in building a resort which was something totally out of my wheelhouse but nonetheless energized by the opportunity presented itself to answer that challenge with enthusiasm: “Yes! Count me in!”
At first, multiple experts were contacted with the hope of reviving and overseeing the resort. Unfortunately, none of these attempts were successful, so I decided to take on the project myself. With a positive attitude and 2020 providing ample free time since it is pandemic, I partnered with one of my employees to create a bee farm at Taman Rimba Komanwel Resort. This venture was done without any guidance or mentorship but I felt as though my passion could make it succeed. Sure enough, that conviction is enough to keep momentum! And just like that was how I got the ball rolling!
