DATUK SERI PANGLIMA HONG
TECK GUAN
..............................................................................................................
Our illustrious founder and
pioneer, the late Datuk Seri Panglima Hong Teck Guan was a great man. He was
well loved by his family members, staff, friends and his business associates.
He was a generous philanthropist even before others have thought of it. Helping
others less fortunate through education was perhaps his greatest gift to the
society.
His story was a fascinating
one. With little education following his father's death, he came to kedah,
Malaysia to work and study in 1926. Some years later, he went to Kuching,
Sarawak to learn fishing from his uncle. At his time, his entrepreneurship and
ingenuity showed. He began to own fishing boats and his business empire started
from this modest fishing business. He ventured far out to sea where others
dared not. But, his luck ran out when he was trapped in Sandakan due to the
outbreak of the Second World War and he could only move southward to Tawau,
Sabah.
By thinking ahead of others
during the Second World War, he traded with the allied forces and made enormous
profits. His business empire expanded to various towns in Sabah. Ever conscious
of the need to help others less fortunate than him, he co-founded Yuk Chin
Chinese primary school providing many with decent education. This school is now
a premier primary school in Tawau, Sabah. His expansion enabled him to own a
fleet of ocean liners. Together with other prominent business associates and
Chinese social activities, the Sabah Chinese High School was formed, providing
again thousands of high school students' good quality education. Some of his
own grandchildren graduated from this premier school, which has attracted
international students mainly from Indonesia. His contributions and his many
other philanthropist activities attracted the attention of the Sabah state
government and he was duly awarded the Datukship by the state governor.
In 1957, he commenced
commercial planting of cocoa tress in Quoin Hill. He was a pioneer in cocoa
planting and made handsome profits from it. In 1976, he boldly set up a cocoa
manufacturing plant in Tawau, Sabah. Agriculture was his lifelong passion. Teck
Guan is where it is today because of his foresight in investing heavily in
agriculture.
His life was modest. He lived
on the top floor of the office building, a typical 4-storey building. He would
walk down to his office early morning, clear his work and would go out for
breakfast with his old friends. He even went to the nearby fish market when he
had time to buy fish for the family. But, he was a hard working man and well
respected by his managers and staff. He continued to visit his plantations even
in advanced age. In 1981, he set up the Hong Teck Guan Trust to ensure his
family businesses continued to flourish without interruption. Until his demise
in 1997, he still worked right to the end and his influence will be felt long
by his family members and inspiring them to scale greater heights in years to
come. Teck Guan is now ably led by his successor, the executive chairman, Datuk
Hong Ngit Ming.
