Vincent Tan and brother Danny win top awards
KUALA LUMPUR: Berjaya Group founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun and his brother Tan Sri Danny Tan Chee Sing were among 62 Malaysian Hokkien personalities to be recognised at the Federation of Hokkien Associations Malaysia’s 60th anniversary dinner recently.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, who presented the awards, earlier in his speech described the recipients as those who had achieved remarkable successes.
“Today is a historic and meaningful celebration. As a government, we always recognise the contributions of the Chinese community to our country’s development, and in particular the Hokkien community which represents the vast majority of the successful entrepreneurs in Malaysia,” Najib said.
Vincent Tan, who founded Berjaya in 1984, was the recipient of the Malaysian Fujian Exemplary Leaders Award, alongside 23 others.
The list included Malaysia’s richest man, Tan Sri Robert Kuok Hock Nien, YTL Corporation founder Tan Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay, IOI Group executive chairman Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng, Genting Group chief Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and national shuttler Datuk Lee Chong Wei.
Vincent Tan, who was not present to recieve the award, was represented by his nephew Datuk Dickson Tan, who is Danny Tan’s son.
The tycoon started his working career as a bank clerk when he was 17, before becoming a life insurance agent. He eventually bagged the McDonald’s franchise for Malaysia in 1980, and has grown to become one of the top entrepreneurs in the country through his Berjaya conglomerate.
Vincent Tan’s fortune now includes a stake in privately-held U Mobile, as well as owning three football clubs around the world including Welsh outfit Cardiff City.
Danny Tan was one of 38 recipients of the Malaysian Fujian Outstanding Entrepreneur Award.
He was the founder of Tropicana Corp Bhd in 1992, and remains the main shareholder of the company, despite having retired from its day-to-day management and handing over the reigns to group CEO Datuk Yau Kok Seng and his son, deputy group CEO Dickson Tan.