OUTSTANDING FEATURES AND SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS

TASK B

TAN SRI LOH BOON SIEW – HONDA ENTREPRENUERS

Datuk Loh Boon Siew Hui comes from the village, live at Fukian area, a region that is considered the poorest in China at some point. His family was very poor life caused him no chance to receive education since childhood.

          To support his family, his work collecting animal dung as fertilizer in agriculture and fishing for sale. At age 12, he was taken by his father migrated to Penang to seek other sources of income. He was told by his father worked in a mechanic shop. The money they earn is sent to their families in China. At night, he washed the bus for added revenue. Revenue from savings "long into the hill", he managed to buy some equipment mechanics and 8 buses to be repaired and used passenger bus. Bus business has paid off handsomely for her and kept some profit, the balance re-used as working capital. He managed to have 40 buses and open a store spare batteries and vehicles in 7 years.

          After the second world war ended, Datuk Loh Boon Siew expand its business by opening a second-hand car shop and become distributors of some sort of British motorcycles. During his visit to Japan in 1958, he saw a Honda motorcycle that has not been used in Malaysia and thought that might be able to get a good market in Malaysia.

          After he made a deal with producers and ordering 12 units of Honda motorcycles, then sold to his friend without receiving benefits. Although the motorcycle was carrying a matter of public bid but he did not give up. So that by the year 1963, Honda became the vehicle of the most popular and successful place as Honda's third-largest vehicle sold in the country. His success in the business and corporate leaders to put him as one of the richest in Penang and from 10 leading figures in the Malaysian entrepreneurs.

          An entrepreneur who is successful on this day must have features that seeks to push himself to achieve success in life. As Datuk Loh Boon Siew, there are some characteristics that entrepreneurs highlighted in itself.

          First, Datuk Loh Boon Siew is a visionary person, where he formed a company to bring in a Honda motorcycle to Malaysia by setting up its first motorcycle factory, Assembly Plant Boon Siew Boon Siew Sdn Bhd owned in Mak Mandin Industrial Estate, Penang. In 1969, Honda was no longer installed in Japan but assembled in Malaysia to save the cost of installation and sales. The company has introduced a new model Honda motorcycles S90Z in 1971. The high-minded attitude he has raced to succeed in the motoring industry.

          Second, he is a open risk taker person. Through the construction of a motorcycle factory in Mak Mandin, motorcycle sales and demand can be met consistently. So, when there is a problem in Japan, Honda remains removed and disposed of as normal as it can be produced in Malaysia alone and thus able to reduce the cost of sales impact of import duties on Japanese motorcycles. It's clear that he is willing to risk his own to produce Honda motorcycle in the event of a problem in Japan. This action could cause a difference between the quality of the production Honda motorcycle Japan and Malaysia, but he has managed to produce a Honda motorcycle at a low cost.

          The third is the open culture of Datuk Loh Boon Siew. We already know that he did not receive the education system since childhood and was illiterate, but he has a good memory and high. He was able to identify a clear product is needed by the people of Malaysia, which is small in size and light motorcycles. It has triggered his idea to sell this type of motorcycles in Malaysia after visible light and small motorcycles during his visit to Japan. His creativity also makes it successful in expanding its business in property development, farming and hospitality through its investment company of Oriental Holdings Sdn Bhd as not to depend on only one area of ​​business motoring.

          The fourth is a proactive attitude  in his efforts to popularize his Honda motorcycle. Once he gets the right to be the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles in Malaysia. He continued to build a motorcycle factory in Mak Mandin. As a result, he managed to ensure continued interest Honda motorcycles in Malaysia. The factory has been ensuring price stability as an increase in sales of Honda motorcycles import duties can be minimized as Honda motorcycles can be made domestically and in Malaysia.

          Fifth, saying "failure to generate success" (failure is an option) can also be obtained through the properties shown by Datuk Loh Boon Siew. Although he failed to get an education in life, but it is not a hindrance to him to continue to soar the dream. His ability to manipulate memory and strong forward momentum has been successfully influence the Honda Motor Limited Japan to appoint him as the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles in Malaysia. Despite the negative perception of Malaysians towards Japan's output of goods which have been colonized in Malaysia, he continued with his interest to sell Honda motorcycles in Malaysia, although likely to fail. Finally, do not give up attitude and high self-esteem in producing motorcycle sales Honda has managed to hit the target.

          In conclusion, Datuk Loh Boon Siew is an entrepreneur with high resilient and not easily succumb to the challenges faced although he never received an education in life. The spirit and characteristics of an entrepreneur on the self Datuk Loh Boon Siew is appropriate for us to emulate if we are to achieve success in life. (Winston Lim, Raymond Flower, & Dato' Loh Cheng Yean, 2006)