Rousing reception for corporate figure Tiong, wife at airport
SIBU: Prominent businessman Tan Sri Datuk Tiong Su Kuok and his wife, Puan Sri Datin Wong Bak Hee, were given a rousing reception at Sibu Airport upon their return from Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
More than 500 people comprising members of Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sibu Foochow Association, Tiong Association, United Chinese Asociation, Uk Daik School and Hawkers’ Associations were at the airport.
They all had lunch, hosted by Tiong, at Kingwood Hotel later.
Tiong was conferred the Panglima Setia Mahkota ( PSM) award, which carries the title `Tan Sri’, by Yang di- Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah in conjunction with His Majesty’s birthday on Saturday.
The award was bestowed upon Tiong in recognition of his contributions in both business and social fields.
Tiong is currently president of SK Tiong Group of Companies, chairman of CCK Consolidated Holdings Bhd and executive chairman of Nam Cheong Ltd.
He was conferred the Pingat Bintang Sarawak ( PBS) in 1987, Johan Setia Mahkota (JSM) in 2000 and Panglima Jasa Negara ( PJN) in 2001.
Tiong is an ingenious entrepreneur and full of ambitions. He started his business as a fishmonger with a mere three dollars and forty cents 60 years ago.
He was motivated by the Chinese philosophy of `rising to the top through hard work and determination’, and it remained his mantra till today.
Today, his business empire is of local and international repute.
His current businesses range from fish and prawn coldstorage, aquatic products processing, tiger prawn and organic tiger prawn farming, aquaculture and poultry to shipbuilding, ship leasing, property development, establishing dressed chicken markets, and distributorship in food and beverages.
As far as his coldstorage business is concerned, Tiong began with Sarawak Coldstorage Company and later incorporated Central Coldstorage Sarawak Sdn Bhd, while the Kuok Sui Sea Products Industries ( S) Sdn Bhd was his first aquaproducts coldstorage and processing operation.
His coldstorage business was listed on Bursa Malaysia as CCK Consolidated Holding Bhd.
Today, his retail chain under the CCK Fresh Mart flagship, specialising in selling aquaproducts and frozen foods, not only can be found here, in Kuching and Miri, but has also expanded to Sabah andPeninsular Malaysia, as well as to Jakarta and Pontianak, Indonesia.
It has also established a sausage manufacturing factory.
CCK Fresh Mart also supplies halal products and has since established itself as a major player in the coldstorage and frozen food market in Malaysia.
Under Tiong’s leadership, the business ventured into shipbuilding, launching Nam Cheong into the international shipbuilding arena. He partnered with China shipbuilders to construct high- technology offshore support vessels.
In recognition of its commitment, Nam Cheong was honoured with the ` National Shipping Industry Excellence Award’ from Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation ( Matrade). It also gained a spot in the `Malaysia Top Corporate Directory’.
Tiong’s investment in property development has resulted in various ventures here, in Kuching, Bintulu, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.
His company participated in the Southern Industrial and Logistics Clusters (SILC) in Johor, where it developed the modernised `SK1 Commercial Centre’.
Nam Cheong is listed on the Main Board of Singapore Stock Exchange as Nam Cheong Ltd.
As a member of local society, Tiong does not forget to contribute to his community.
He served as the president of Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Sarawak; as well as deputy president of Federation of Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia.
He was also nominated by then-prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a member of the Second National Economic Consultancy Council ( Mapen II).
Tiong also served as the chairman of Sibu Foochow Association, president of Federation of Foochow Association of Sarawak, president of Federation of Foochow Association of Malaysia, as well as president of World Federation of Fuzhou Association.
It was a memorable year for him in 2005 when he was the president of all four levels of Foochow associations — Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia and world — simultaneously.
Tiong further served as president of Sarawak Zhang Clan Association, president of Federation of Zhang Clan Association Malaysia, honorary treasurer and charter member of World Zhang Clan Association, treasurer of United Chinese Association Sarawak— Sibu Division, honorary life chairman of Sibu Central Market Hawkers Association, honorary life president of Sibu Division and Meradong District Union of Hawkers Association, honorary life chairman of Kuching Fish Dealers Association, honorary life president of Federation of Sarawak Hawkers Associations, advisor of Sarawak Fishery Vessels Association, and also honorary life advisor of Malaysia Hawkers and Petty Traders Association.
In education, Tiong holds the chairmanship of SK Methodist Sibu Board, directorship in SMK Methodist Sibu Board, and deputy chairmanship of SJK Thai Kwang Sibu Board.
He had been board chairman of SJKC Nan Kiang Sibu, SJKC Uk Daik Sibu and Ling Mee Ing Kindergarten, honorary advisor of Wong Nai Siong Secondary School, as well as honorary board chairman and director of many other schools.
He has also made donations and contribution to China, particularly to his ancestral homeland in MinQing — among them establishing Tiong Kung Chuan Kindergarten at Bai Ding Village, constructing and expanding Education Building at Bai Zhong Secondary School in Bai Zhong town, setting up Datuk Tiong Su Kouk and Datin Wong Bak Hee Students Scholarship, setting up Teacher’s Award, Subsidy for Needy Education Fund as well as incentives to render financial assistance to needy students, and also provision of rewards to excellent teachers.
Tiong also established a tertiary education fund named him and his wife, under the Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Within his group of companies, he also set up Employees Children Education and University Scholarships.
Tiong had also established the `Project for Love Education Subsidy Fund’, donated to the education loan fund under Sibu Foochow Association, set up Foochow Association Tiong Kung Chuan Members’ Children Subsidy and also the Tiong Su Kouk Fund for needy children.
His `Love Fostering Programme Grant’ enters its fifth term this year — a programme Tiong established during his tenure as president of Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, under the chamber’s subsidiary Hua Shang Economic Corporation (Sibu) Bhd, aimed at helping students in need.
Tiong also established Tiong Su Kouk Fund for churches and made contributions to Christian ministries through Tiong Kung Chuan Ting Chuo Kiew Methodist Theological Education Fund, which was named after his parents. Tiong and his wife are blessed with three sons and a daughter.