Towards the end of last year, the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) Young Entrepreneurs Super Model Awards Ceremony 2022 honoured 22 awardees. These awardees, selected from over 8,000 members of the Young Entrepreneurs Committee (YEC), become the first-ever recipients of this award. They are recognised for outstanding participation in association events, and their ongoing efforts in community and social responsibility.
For Leon Lee, the current ACCCIM YEC Chairman, the establishment of the YEC in 2011 by his predecessors enabled aspiring entrepreneurs, aged 45 years and younger, to supercharge their journey as entrepreneurs. “The incredible amount of success and business wisdom by the senior members of the ACCCIM is something that we as young entrepreneurs hope to emulate,” he says. “Through our joint activities, we are able to offer our current YEC members of more than 8,000 a chance to tap into this valuable expertise and hard-earned knowledge.”
Lee, whose term as YEC chairman started in 2018 and will run until 2024, says he hopes to further increase the YEC numbers to 10,000 by the end of his tenure. “We are confident that with our strength in numbers, we will become an important entity to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurship among our members,” he says, while also pointing out that with many of the younger members, their boundless creativity and digital-savvy natures have added positive energy to the YEC, which has turned the group into a wellspring of inspiration. This high rate of participation is manifested across the YEC’s activities, including Zoom conferences that attracted a participation of more than 3,000 people during the pandemic.
“To run your business, it also helps to see how others operate theirs,” Lee reflects. “Through our networking and discussion sessions, we can understand our members’ success; and through the application of clarity of thought, together with whole-hearted efforts and tremendous vision, these have shaped extremely successful business benchmarks when compared with international standards.”
Just as importantly, the YEC continues to be guided by the many noble gestures of the ACCCIM, such as its ongoing charity initiatives. During the height of the pandemic, the YEC managed to garner RM500,000 in funds to support charitable causes. Philanthropy has continued to guide many of its aims too, such as in the raising of RM11,000 for the UTAR Education Foundation during the recent year-end awards event.
For Lee, the greatest reward in being a part of the YEC lies in how this grouping continues to infuse and stoke the passion for entrepreneurship among the younger generation. “Even if you are just starting out and working your way up,” he says, “there is every chance that this younger set will be influenced and encouraged by the many successful and established businessmen to reach the very top.”
Awardees’ Circle
A roll call of the 22 awardees of the inaugural ACCCIM Young Entrepreneurs Super Model Awards Ceremony 2022.
Alex Woo Boon Thai, a lawyer from Sarawak who founded Thai Advocates in 2010. He has been active in the ACCCIM for more than six years. He is the current Deputy Chairman of YEC in The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sarawak and the central committee of YEC in ACCCIM.
Andy Yek, managing director and founder of C.R.W.N Idea since 2002. He is engaged in wholesale construction of bathroom and kitchen equipment with his own brand Gucini. He has been active in ACCCIM for more than 10 years.
Benson Neoh Kah Wei, director of Neoh Trading Sdn. Bhd., from Penang. He is engaged in agricultural product imports, exports, and processing trade. He has been active in ACCCIM for more than five years.
Bong Choon Siong who founded Karbuddy in 2016, from Johor. He is engaged in 3D car-scanning film services, car detailing and maintenance. He is currently the deputy chairman of the YEC in the Kulai Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and he has been active for more than 4 years.
Chai Man Sen from Terengganu, the director of Hyper Sport Automotive, and is engaged in the wholesale of automotive parts.
Choong Pin Hoong, from Selangor, is director of Syarikat Letrik Chen Guan, a business organisation with more than 40 years of experience across luxury apartments, hotels, shopping malls, office buildings and shop houses. He has been active in ACCCIM for more than 10 years.
Chris Tan Chee Kean, the founder of Keyanne Integration in Penang, which specialises in smart homes and smart building systems. He has been active in ACCCIM for more than five years.
Derick Ooi Tze Wei is the founder of Hairstory, which began with a single salon in 2004. It has grown into an organisation with more than 18 outlets today, and is diversifying into manicure, beauty and training. He has been active in ACCCIM for more than 10 years.
Dato’ Sri Edwin Tan joined his family business J JOLAND Group upon graduation. He has led the company to diversify into hospitality, education, medical care and other fields. He has been active at the ACCIM for more than 10 years, and is now as an executive chairman of Paragon Globe Berhad.
Dato’ Gary Wong Chin Keong, founder of I Love Broadband Service Centre, from Johor. He began his business at the age of 21, and has seen his telecommunications company mushroom across 20 branches in Johor, Perak and Penang from 2003 to 2019. He has been active in the Johor Associated Chinese Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry for more than 14 years.
Ken Yap Kean Lye, from Perak, is the executive director of B&F Trading, which has business interests in trading and assembly of new and used heavy machinery. He has been active in ACCCIM for more than 14 years.
Lee Rong Yuan, from Negeri Sembilan, is the sales director of Peltech Filtration, which is involved in downstream activities in both palm oil and oil & gas. He has been active in ACCCIM for more than 14 years.
Leon Lee, CEO of Zeon Properties Group in Penang, who founded the company in 2012. Since then, he has grown his team beyond Penang and Kuala Lumpur, and established points of sales in Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia, Hong Kong and China. He has been active in ACCCIM for more than 13 years.
Loh Cheong Aik from Penang is the executive director of Boon Seng Timber Flooring. He has successfully innovated and transformed the business which he inherited, achieving constant breakthroughs in performance in the eight years since he took the helm. He has been active in the Penang Chinese Chamber Of Commerce for more than four years.
Low Chin Siang from Penang is the founder and CEO of Atlantic by Motion In Style. It is a business centred on corporate, commercial and event photography, as well as live-streaming services. He has been active in the Penang Chinese Chamber Of Commerce for more than four years.
Dato’ Ng Yap Fong is the founder and executive director of Best Link Logistic, which operates door-to-door logistics services between Malaysia and China.
Patric Chang Chun Chuang from Malacca is the director of Wintronic Sdn Bhd, which provides electrical and mechanical engineering services. He has been active in ACCCIM for more than five years.
Rexx Law Wei Hong, from Malacca, is the founder of Champion Compass, which revolves around digital strategy planning, big data marketing and software development. He has been active in the Malacca Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry for more than five years.
Roland Chua Seng Wai from Penang is the CEO of Kin Ho Timber Manufacturing, which has expertise in wood manufacturing as well as wood packaging materials and products. He has been active in ACCCIM for more than 4 years.
Yeow Ee Fan from Malacca is the executive director of Perfection Pest Management. He has been active in the Malacca Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry for more than nine years.
Zen Tan Chen Chen, from Johor, is the executive director of Seng Liy Engineering (M). Founded in 2003, the company is a building material trader and plastic recycler founded. It rebranded in 2013 to provide green building solutions through the construction materials that it distributes. She has been active in the Johor Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry for more than 10 years.
