Mengly Jandy Quach

Cambodian businessman and philanthropist (born 1969)

Occupations
Lyhong Ung
​
(m. 2004)​
Children2Websitemjqeducation.edu.khSignature

Mengly Jandy Quach GOM (Khmer: គួច ម៉េងលី, Kuŏch Méngli [kuəc meːŋliː]; born 25 March 1969) is a Cambodian businessman[1] and philanthropist,[2] and founder of the Mengly J. Quach Education.[3] He is also a survivor of the Cambodian genocide.

Biography

Early life

Quach was born in Battambang Province, Cambodia on 25 March 1969.[4] During and after Khmer Rouge regime, Quach survived the Dangrek genocide in Dângrêk Mountains areas. After initially being pushed back by the Thai Royal Army, his family managed to find refuge in Thailand in their second attempt to escape Cambodia.[5] Quach and his family were resettled in the United States in 1984 from Khao-I-Dang Refugee Camp after the war after their first attempt to journey to Nong Chan Refugee Camp in 1979 had failed.[6]

Education in health sciences

Quach was raised and educated in California.[7]

He attended University of California, Berkeley in 1991 for pre-med[8] and received his Doctor of Medicine in General Medicine from Spartan Health Sciences University in 1998.[9] Quach also completed his medical clerkship at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago. He received his Masters in Public Health Practice from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2007.[10] Quach was a professor at the Cleveland Chiropractic College in California until 2002.[11]

Return to Cambodia in 2002

In 2002, Quach returned to Cambodia where he worked as public health advisor of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) for Partners for Development [12] and taught at the Pannasastra University of Cambodia and University of Cambodia.[13]

In 2005, Quach founded Mengly J. Quach Education. Its Aii Language Center and American Intercon School provide education, health care, food, media and financial services.[14] By 2023, his educational programs had grown from a single classroom with just four students into one of Cambodia's biggest educational networks, with over twenty nine school buildings, over 20,000 students.[15]

Quach was the owner and on the advisory board of ThmeyThmey.com, an online news publisher. It was launched in 2012 as part of Mengly J. Quash Holdings. In May 2017, Quach resigned from the advisory board of Thmey Thmey. In his resignation letter, he said he sold his shares and has no more connection with Thmey Thmey.[16][17]

After he criticized the quality of Cambodian doctors and their treatments, his application to open a medical practice and university has been declined in 2017.[18]

Philanthropy

Quach founded MJQ Foundation in 2005.[19] He is also known for a range of philanthropic endeavours, from sponsoring spelling contests[20] to sponsoring education and most recently during the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 outbreak.[21][22] During a trip to Europe, he also made a donation in favour of migrants in Ventimiglia at the border between Italy and France, remembering that he himself was helped when he had to flee his country.[23][24]

Positions

Virtuous leadership

As an oknha, he has insisted on the importance of virtuous leadership in Khmer society, through many publications in virtue ethics and business.[25] In partnership with the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia, he defends the idea that businesses should care more about human rights in Cambodia.[26]

For that reason, Quach has voiced criticism against crony capitalism and abuse of power by certain okhna in Cambodia "I think this re-drafting should be considered because some Oknha have used their titles in the past to protect themselves from the consequences of committing immoral acts, which create discontent among the public. We know that some oknhas have committed violence, or had crooked business dealings. Some have even been involved in deforestation. The actions of those who hold this title affects the honour of the King who bestows it."[27]

Medical ethics

Quach was an elected Board member of Transparency International Cambodia during 2010 - 2013.[28] He was also known by a controversy for criticizing the Cambodia's public health in 2016, saying that nine in ten doctors in the country were sub-par and treated their patients badly. He also commented that Cambodia's system for educating doctors remains weak and the training for doctors in Cambodia is very short. His comments prompted a government-affiliated doctors’ association to demand an apology and retraction.[29]

Personal life

Quach lives in Phnom Penh with his wife and their two daughters.[30]

Recognitions

In 2009, Quach was made Knight Grand Officer in the Royal Order of Monisaraphon and given the Khmer Royal title of Oknha by His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni.[31] In 2021, he was given the Khmer Royal title of Neak Oknha by His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni for his community, charity and philanthropic works.[32] He also received various local and international certificates and awards from around the world.[33]

Selected publications

  • Quach, Mengly J. (2023). "Shortcut". Mengly J. Quach University Press, March, 2023
  • Quach, Mengly J. (2020). Quach M. J., Poems from the Heart. Mengly J. Quach University Press. ISBN 978-9924-508-20-5
  • Quach, Mengly J. (2020). Quach M. J., The Philosophy Collection. Mengly J. Quach University Press. ISBN 978-9924-508-17-5
  • Quach, Mengly J. (2019). Mengly J. Quach's Business Ideas. Mengly J. Quach University Press. ISBN 978-9924-508-14-4
  • Quach, Mengly J. (2018). Mengly J. Quach's 108 Ideal Practices. Mengly J. Quach University Press. ISBN 978-9924-508-12-0
  • Quach, Mengly J. (2018). Dangrek Mountains …unforgettable. Mengly J. Quach University Press. ISBN 978-9924-508-11-3
  • Dharmendra, Singh K.; Quach, Mengly J. (2016). Dr. Mengly, Coffee and Me: Healthy Conversations. Mengly J. Quach University Press. ISBN 978-9924-508-01-4
  • Quach, Mengly J. (2016). Dr. Mengly's Business Concepts. Mengly J. Quach University Press. ISBN 978-9924-508-02-1
  • Quach, Mengly J. (2016). You Are The Good. Better. Best. Mengly J. Quach University Press. ISBN 978-9924-508-02-1, LCCN 2017-355440

Sources

  • Oeur S., Torn V., Sem R., Hang P., Yeng Chh., On K., A Collection of Short Stories, My Role Model Oknha Dr. Mengly J. Quach, Mengly J. Quach University Press, January 2020
  • Oeur S., Dr. Mengly J. Quach's Poems and Me, Mengly J. Quach University Press, August 2019
  • Hang P., How I came to know Dr. Mengly Jandy Quach, Mengly J. Quach University Press, August 2019

References

  1. ^ Som, Kanika (10 April 2019). "Dr. Mengly J. Quach shares his 'Business Ideas'". Khmer Times. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  2. ^ Anith, Adilah Othman (11 September 2019). "MJQE's lessons in philanthropy". Khmer Times. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  3. ^ Anith, Adilah Othman (22 August 2019). "Quality education 'a must to reach excellence'". CapitalCambodia. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  4. ^ Who's who in Cambodia. MBN International in partnership with Promo-Khmer. 2006. p. 21. ISBN 978-99950-66-00-0.
  5. ^ ភ្នំដងរែក: ទីពុំអចភ្លច (in Khmer). Mengly J. Quach University Press. 2018. ISBN 978-9924-508-11-3.
  6. ^ "Quach was resettled in the United States in 1984 from Khao-I-Dang refugee camp". 14 May 2017.
  7. ^ "Dr. Quach left Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge regime and was educated in the United States".
  8. ^ "Pre-Med studies at the University of California at Berkeley".
  9. ^ "a Doctor of Medicine (University at St. Lucia/Santa Teresa, New Mexico)".
  10. ^ "a Master of Public Health (University of Massachusetts at Amherst)".
  11. ^ "Neak Oknha Mengly J. Quach, MD, MPH". mjqeducation.edu.kh. Mengly J. Quach Education. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  12. ^ "IMCI & Public Health Advisor with Partners for Development".
  13. ^ "he became the Founding Dean and Associate Professor of the College of Public Health at the University of Cambodia".
  14. ^ "MJQ Education: 14 years of excellence". Khmer Times. 13 December 2019.
  15. ^ "Leading school operator listed on Cambodia's stock market - Khmer Times". 28 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Thmey Thmey Online news".
  17. ^ "Thmey Thmey Online news sold out in 2017".
  18. ^ Narin, Sun (17 April 2017). "Doctor Who Criticized State Health Care Says He Was Denied Medical License". VOA. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Mengly J. Quach Foundation".
  20. ^ "The 17th Mengly J. Quach Spelling Bee Contest – Aii Language Center – Toul Kork Campus". Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  21. ^ Rinith, Rinith (18 August 2021). "ក្រុមអ្នកជំនាញផ្នែកសុខភាព៖ សាលាបើកបានវិញបាន". The Intercon Rooster. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Mengly J. Quach offers outbreak response thanks, cautions sector at critical juncture". www.phnompenhpost.com. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  23. ^ Spagnola, Alice (20 January 2023). "Dalla Cambogia a Ventimiglia per aiutare i migranti, la delegazione ricevuta da Papa Francesco fa visita alla Caritas". Riviera24 (in Italian). Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  24. ^ AsiaNews.it (24 January 2023). "A former Cambodian refugee turned philanthropist helps migrants in Ventimiglia". www.asianews.it. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  25. ^ Som Kanika (10 April 2019). "Dr. Mengly J. Quach shares his 'Business Ideas' – Khmer Times". Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  26. ^ Mengly J. Quach; Pok Nanda (15 June 2016). "Should businesses care about human rights?". Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia.
  27. ^ The Phnom Penh Post (13 February 2022). "Royal decree for Oknha likely by year's end: minister".
  28. ^ "Board member of Transparency International Cambodia".
  29. ^ Phnom Penh Post (23 February 2016). "Questions linger on outbreak readiness".
  30. ^ "Dr Quach currently lives in Phnom Penh with his wife and their two daughters".
  31. ^ "Mengly J. Quach". Cambodia Media Ownership Monitor (Reporteres sans Frontieres). Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  32. ^ "Neak Oknha Title".
  33. ^ "Cambodian goes from refugee to winner of major international awards".