Optimistic – Tan Sri Dato’Loh Boon Siew

2.6       Optimistic – Tan Sri Dato’Loh Boon Siew

Tan Sri Dato' Loh Boon Siew (1915-1995), known "Mr Honda" is the founder of Boon Siew Honda. Loh was born in Hui-An, Fujian province, China, a region that is considered the poorest in China a long time ago. Dato Loh life is so poor that he did not have the opportunity to learn in school. Since childhood he worked as a collecting animal manure as fertilizer in agriculture and fishing to be sold as an additional family income. When he was 12, his father brought to Penang to migrate and find a source of income. His father sent him to work in a mechanic shop. (Hasnim, 2013)

Tan Sri Dato’ Loh Boon Siew also an illiterate and cannot read due to the life he was so poor and did not have a chance to go to school. However, Dato' Loh Boon Siew has a powerful memory. He mainly uses his mind to make a decision. Moved to Penang after he worked so hard and try hard to send money to family in China. In the evening he took wages for washing buses with a bus paid 10 cents. As he age of 18, he was interested to run their own business and Loh always thinking how to find opportunity. (Hasnim, 2013)

In 1958, while on holiday in Japan Loh see Honda Super Cup was very well received. Loh sure if he brought the bike to Malaysia definitely got a great welcome. Then Tan Sri Dato' Loh Boon Siew made a deal with Mr. Soichiro to release some of Honda's motorcycle unit to Malaysia. Then, the Japanese Honda Boon Siew motor Co Ltd appointed sole distributor of Honda motorcycles in the country at that time. 50 units of Honda 4-stroke cub brought into Malaysia. Honda brought into Malaysia was ridiculed by people who consider it useless and perishable. But it did not dampen the spirit of Boon Siew Honda to continue to introduce up to this motorcycle demanded by the public. (Hasnim, 2013)

Feature entrepreneur Tan Sri Dato’ Loh Boon Siew is optimistic. Although he was illiterate and did not have a higher education, not necessarily he could not succeed. Armed with a powerful memory, Tan Sri managed to manipulate his memory to be a successful. With a negative perception of Malaysia and paranoid people against foreign-made at that time, very difficult to convince the public of the output Honda motorcycles. However, optimism, positive thinking and not easily give up Tan Sri keep working hard to introduce Honda motorcycles. Thanks to the hard work and always positive, sales of Honda motorcycles in Malaysia increased by more than 2 million units to date. Therefore, Tan Sri Dato’ Loh Boon Siew become a successful entrepreneur and became the richest man in Penang. Although Tan Sri has passed, his name is still fresh in the society’s memory and became an idol in Honda's third-largest company in Malaysia. (Hasnim, 2013)