4.0 PROFILE OF SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS IN MALAYSIA

4.1       BIOGRAPHY OF BOON SIEW

Ø  Name	Loh Boon Siew
Ø  Place of birth	Chiah Cheo, Fujian Prowince, China
Ø  Year of birth	1916
Ø  Father	Loh Hui Chai
Ø  Mother	Saw Kit
Ø  Eldest brother	Loh Seong Siew
Ø  Sister	Loh Lun
Ø  Younger brother	Boon Chuan
Ø  Wives	Oh Guat Sim,Ong Lay Wah
Ø  Daughters	Loh Ean, Cheng Yean, Phoy Yean, Gim Ean
Ø  Sons	Kar Bee, Kah Kheng
Ø  Favourite food	Char Koay Teow, Nasi Kandar, KFC
Ø  Favourite tid bits	Roasted Peanuts
Ø  Favourite drinks	Hennesy, Wine, Kopi-O
Ø  Favourite fruit	Oranges
Ø  Hobbies	Collection Of Antiques, Fishing
Ø  Favourite movies	Martial Arts Dramas, TV Serials
Ø  Previous cars	Skoda, Chevrolet

In about 1980, practically 10 motorcycles are on the roads, 7 of which are from Honda  Boon Siew.   Conscious or not the name of Boon Siew Honda motorcycles  this is not coming from Japan but it is the name of the individual responsible for bringing Honda motorcycles  involved to Malaysia, the late  Tan Sri Dato 'Loh Boon Siew  Historically, Tan Sri is an illiterate and cannot read. Although he cannot write or read, but memory Tan Sri is very good and he often relies on his memory and judgment in making any decision.  In addition, he was also a visionary who always go out and be able to anticipate and prepare.  This is the key to success today.

 LIFE

Figure 1 : Family Loh Boon Siew

Tan Sri Dato' Loh Boon Siew (1915–1995) also known as “Mr Honda”, was a Penang site tycoon and the first sole distributor of Honda motorcycles in Malaysia. Datuk Loh Boon Siew Hui comes from the village, district Fujian, a region that is considered the poorest in China at one time. Family life Datuk Loh very poor result he had never had the opportunity to go to school.  Since childhood he worked collecting animal dung as fertilizer in agriculture and fishing for sale as a supplement the family income.  When he was 12 years old, his father took him to Penang to migrate and find a source of income. He was told by his father worked in a mechanic shop.

They both do not have the slightest time to have fun but to work hard to send money to families who are in China.  To earn more, on the night he washed his bus and wage 10 cents per bus.  At the age of 18, he decided to run their own business and often figure out a way how to get the opportunity to do so. 

As a result of the money saved little by little, he then bought some mechanical equipment, worth RM10.00 and 8 buses worth RM200.00 to be repaired and used as a passenger bus.   Every little while the remaining profit be retained Rollover capital. In the past 7 years he has 40 buses and opens a store spare batteries and vehicles. After the Second World War ended,  Datuk Loh expanded its business by opening a second-hand car shop and become distributors of some sort of British motorcycles.  In 1958, he visited Japan for outings.  In Japan he saw a Honda motorcycle that has never been used in Malaysia and think maybe get a good market if brought to here.   After detecting the producers who, he made a deal to order 12 units.  This bike was later sold to his friend without taking any profit.

Honda motorcycle was carrying ridiculed by people who consider it useful and fast is broken, but it did not dampen his desire to introduce the motorcycle so that by the year 1963, Honda became the most sought after vehicles.

Figure 2 : Honda’s logo and motor

He was the one who managed to put the Honda as the third largest vehicle sold in the country since 3 years ago. He has reason to be proud of its success in the business and corporate leaders, putting him as one of the richest in Penang and from 10 leading figures in the Malaysian entrepreneurs.  To this day, the name of Tan Sri is still on par with corporate members while other prominent died in 1995.

Up to now the legacy of Tan Sri is still strong in Malaysia as long as the Honda brand motorcycles were on the road in Malaysia. This task will explore the characteristics of entrepreneurship that exists on Tan Sri and he succeeded in making him as one of the successful entrepreneurs even illiterate and do not have any high academic background.

4.2       FEATURES ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Among the features identified entrepreneurship Tan Sri is able to make her be a successful and highly respected in Malaysia are:

4.2.1   OBSERVANT

            During a visit to Osaka, Japan in 1954, Tan Sri seen a small motorcycle or 'cub' found to be suitable to be brought into Malaysia. Historically, Tan Sri able to pursue these bikes to look more closely involved motorcycle characteristics.  This is because he believes that the Honda motorcycle is very convenient to use because of its small size and light weight suitable for Asians average small compared with European-made bikes. At that point, Tan Sri can see motorcycles Honda 'cub' as an opportunity for him to be sold in Malaysia.  Thus, Tan Sri had managed to convince the involved motorcycle manufacturers Honda Motor Japan Limited to appoint him to be the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles in Malaysia.

With this opportunity orientation features have succeeded in making Tan Sri as a successful entrepreneur.   Ability to sniff out opportunities clearly be advantageous for an individual to become a successful entrepreneur.

4.2.2   VISIONARY

            As a successful entrepreneur, Tan Sri seen as a highly visionary for the company she set up to bring in Honda motorcycles in Malaysia.  This can be seen from the construction of the first motorcycle factory in Malaysia, namely Assembly Plant Boon Siew Boon Siew Sdn Bhd owned in Mak Mandin Industrial Estate, Pulau Pinang.  With the construction of this plant in 1969, Honda motorcycle is no longer installed in Japan but it was installed in Malaysia so as to save the cost of installation and sales. With the construction of this factory, Boon Siew Sdn Bhd has also introduced several new models of Honda motorcycles began in 1971, which Honda model S90Z.  On this day, there are various types of Honda motorcycles in the market. With high-minded attitude is what drives Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew to continue to succeed in the field of motoring. Not all entrepreneurs have the ability to look ahead like Tan Sri.   A positive attitude is the main weapon in his efforts to continue to move forward in the motor industry in Malaysia.

Although Tan Sri is an illiterate and do not have high academic background and formal, this does not mean he cannot be a successful.  Armed with a powerful memory and spirit to move forward and succeed is high, Tan Sri managed to manipulate his memory skills to become successful.  This is evidenced by the success of Tan Sri to affect Japan's Honda Motor Limited appointed him as the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles in Malaysia. His ability to influence the management of Honda Motor Limited Japan is seen as a great success for the people of Malaysia.  This is due not easy to influence the management of Honda Japan let alone to bring their products to countries that have been colonized by the Japanese.  With a negative perception of Malaysians in which arise may not want or do not want to buy goods produced in a country that once colonized Brazil, Japan, to some extent, do no interest Tan Sri to sell Honda motorcycles in Malaysia.  Armed with high confidence that there is at Tan Sri against this Honda a motorcycle, Honda motorcycle sales in Malaysia have already reached over 2 million units to date. Confident attitude for success, optimism and positive thinking is what has made the Chairman of a successful entrepreneur.

Figure 3 : Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew riding Honda motorcycle

Tan Sri is also seen as someone who has a high level of commitment in the field of motoring.   From a mechanical apprentice at the beginning of his arrival in Malaysia until he managed to become the sole distributor authorized to distribute and sell Honda motorcycles.  His commitment is not only focused on selling Honda motorcycles but solely on the basis of interest and commitment he set up the first motorcycle factory in Malaysia, which is located in Mak Mandin in 1969. To become a successful entrepreneur like Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew, a person must have a level of commitment and enthusiasm is very high on the field.   With this commitment, it can help individuals to become someone successful in their respective fields.

4.2.3   OPEN RISK TAKER

            We also found that Tan Sri is an entrepreneur who takes moderate risks. This can be seen from the construction of motorcycle factory located in Mak Mandin. With the construction of this factory, the sales and demand for motorcycles can be met consistently.  This is because in the event of a problem in Japan, Honda motorcycle can still be issued and sold as it is made in Malaysia alone.  It also indirectly reduce the cost of sales as a result of the import tax imposed on each motorbike imported directly from Japan.

While Boon Siew Sdn Bhd has managed to become a well-known and respected company in the field of motoring, Tan Sri decided not to include a Boon Siew Sdn Bhd on Bursa Malaysia. To this day, Boon Siew Sdn Bhd still be a private limited company. This in turn will ensure stability of the company because the company's shareholding is limited to the family of Tan Sri or stakeholders with Tan Sri alone.

4.2.4   OPEN CULTURE

            This factor is also very important to the attention of entrepreneurs. This is because the customer is what will determine the success of a business. If the products provided fail to meet consumer needs, a business could fail. The user is also the marketing arm is best for businesses because if a superior product quality and meet their needs, of course, the product will continue to be a concern them.  Although Honda motorcycles from Japan, the country that was once the colonial Malaysia one time, Tan Sri believe that the motorcycles would be sold to the public interest.  This was evident with only 12 years in the field of motoring Malaysia; Honda motorcycles have gained status No. 1 Best Seller Motorcycle in 1970.  By leveraging the motto "You meet the nicest people on a Honda", it indirectly makes the Honda brand is very popular in Malaysia at the time.

            Socio-cultural factors are divided into two, namely changing demographics and social conditions of local communities.  Both of these factors should be perfectly predictable it can help entrepreneurs to identify potential and business opportunities. Socio-cultural factors can also identify consumers' purchasing power.   After the country gained independence in 1957, people on social trends when it began to change.  With only a bicycle to a place like the office, the people of Malaysia at that time was introduced by the colonial motorcycle before independence.   But most of the motorcycle brought in by the colonizers is large like Norton brand which is not in accordance with the size of a small body of Malaysian society.  By looking at the socio-cultural situation that is changing this, Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew had been successful in identifying new business opportunities, namely by selling motorbikes small size and light weight, better known by motorcycle 'cub'.

Figure 4 : Loh Boon Siew with his partner

4.2.5   PROACTIVE

Although Tan Sri is an illiterate and do not have high academic background and formal, it does not prevent Tan from becoming a successful entrepreneur.  This can be seen with the success of Honda motorcycle to become the number one bike in Malaysia until today. Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew is a person who has a level of very high memory. With high confidence of success, Tan Sri seen has successfully identified a clear product is needed by the people of Malaysia, namely small and light motorcycles.   When Tan Sri to Osaka, Japan in 1957, Tan Sri had seen a motorcycle that is small in size and light in the streets of Osaka, Japan. And there was Tan Sri idea to try to sell this type of motorcycles in Malaysia.

Thus, Tan Sri keeps in touch with Honda Motors of Japan Limited for the rights to be the sole distributor in Malaysia. Tan Sri is also seen to generate ideas that by building a motorcycle factory in Mak Mandin.  These proactive measures to make sure the bike Honda has managed to keep demand in Malaysia.   With the construction of this plant, it can guarantee the stability of the selling price of Honda motorcycles in Malaysia where factors increase import duties can be minimized because the production of Honda motorcycles manufactured domestically.

Besides active in the field of motoring, was also expanding its retail business in property development, farming and hospitality through its investment of Oriental Holdings Sdn Bhd. Oriental Rubber and Palm Oil Sdn Bhd is a subsidiary of Oriental Holdings Sdn Bhd to develop business ventures in the oil palm plantation sector in particular to Indonesia in 1994. It showed Tan Sri is a creative person where he does not want to rely on one business sector (motoring) only.

Through the above, we can see that the process of creativity is needed to become a successful entrepreneur.  Entrepreneurs do not have to be too creative in identifying products that are marketed.  As Chairman, he just raised the idea during his visit to Osaka, Japan.  Ideas that arise suddenly or "prompt idea 'This has made him a successful entrepreneur.