Chinese turn business DNA into success

When Kenny Tchung, a ChineseBruneian I met in Brunei, first appeared in front of me with one of his several sports cars, I said something that I was immediately ashamed of.

I had been told that the businessman, in his 20s, has a successful mother. Without thinking, I said “Your mom is really so rich” as I stepped into the car.

I was guilty of stereotyping, of assuming he was one of the spoiled “rich second generation”.

He quickly and rightly corrected me. “The car has nothing to do with my mother,” he said, politely but firmly. “Every cent I spend I earned myself.”

Tchung is one of a large number of Chinese, mainly Hokkien, that have established themselves overseas with their commercial and business acumen.

“Chinese have a major share in Brunei’s construction business. It is in their DNA to do business. They are smart and diligent,” said Tchung who runs a car and construction business.

“My parents don’t have to tell me I am Chinese, because I know I am Chinese,” said the third-generation success story of Chinese immigrants, pointing to his face.

The ethnic link has never been lost. Thirdgeneration Chinese know more about today’s China than we know about them.

They keep track of China’s development by listening to Chinese radio — mostly broadcast from Malaysia. They also watch Chinese movies and TV shows, and follow Chinese news.

I’ve heard more than one Chinese-Bruneian driver play one of the most popular songs on the Chinese mainland this year — In My Songs.

Sometimes, Chinese-Bruneians are more “Chinese”.

The importance they attach to children’s education is one example, and maybe a reason that contributes to their success.

Chung In Hong is a fourth-generation Chinese now in his 80s, and is still busy leading his family business, Brunei’s top watch chain.

As chairman of the board of Brunei’s largest Chinese school, Chung Hwa Middle School, Chung can’t remember how much money he has donated to the nonprofit private school over the decades.

Chung attended the school when his “family was still very poor”. Although Chinese-Bruneians currently enjoy a more prosperous life, Chung said it was still not a good time to raise tuition fees.

“It’s not a joke. Our ancestors started the school from scratch in the hope of educating as many Chinese children as possible. So the tuition fees should not be high.’’

Chung is helping to plan the school’s expansion to accommodate the increasing number of students.