Datuk Susan Wong stands out in a crowd—not because she’s one of the few women in a male-dominated industry nor for her signature crimson suit. It’s her presence—warm, magnetic and genuine—that commands attention. This same energy is palpable when she speaks of her latest achievement: Benoni New Township in Papar, Sabah.

More than a decade after the conception of Benoni New Township, Wong and the company she founded, WSG Group (she is now its Managing Director), earned the Rural Urbanisation Excellence Gold Award at the SHAREDA Excellence Awards 2024. To top it all off, Wong was also honoured with the Top Property Developer Platinum Award, acknowledging her leadership and her tireless advocacy for improved housing policies through her involvement with SHAREDA.

Papar, a quiet district previously overshadowed by its neighbours, is now on the map thanks to Wong’s foresight. Under her leadership, the 100-acre Benoni New Township has become a hallmark of successful rural urbanisation, connecting Sabah’s major routes to Sarawak, Brunei and Labuan. Over the past decade, Wong and her company have developed more than 300 shoplots, 180 double-storey terrace houses and more than 1,000 condominium units. But beyond the numbers lies the heart of Wong’s work: community.

“It’s about listening,” Wong explains. “You want a McDonald’s? You got it. You want a cinema? Here’s the first in Papar.” Her approach may seem straightforward, but it’s the result of careful research, planning and a deep understanding of what communities need to thrive. For Wong, it’s not just about building properties. It’s about creating spaces where people can live, work and thrive.

Transforming a rural space into a vibrant township requires more than foresight. It demands grit, patience and a commitment to community. Wong possesses all three. “I want to attend to the small things because that’s how you learn,” she says. “That’s my working policy: improving with each project, getting better every time.”

Her latest ambition for Benoni is no less audacious: a sports arena. It will house indoor badminton courts as well as table tennis and futsal facilities—a space for the community to embrace healthy living and perhaps even a future when Benoni becomes known as the sports city of Sabah.

Wong’s passion for development didn’t come from a carefully planned career path. It was born out of necessity, and serendipity, in 1978. Wong had just graduated from the University of Toronto when her father, Datuk Seri Panglima (Dr) Wong Kwok, a building contractor, was forced to take over a troubled housing development after the original developer couldn’t pay his dues. Wong, just 22 at the time and with zero experience, was thrust into the deep end. “At that time, I was young,” she recalls. “Everybody knew I didn’t know what I was doing. But they taught me. I learnt from them.”

It was a baptism by fire, but it shaped the person she is today. Wong learnt not only the technical aspects of property development but also the importance of humility. “You treat people nice and they’ll treat you nice,” she says.

Today, Wong is a prominent figure in Sabah’s property development industry, having served as the President of SHAREDA from 2009 to 2013 after dedicating 16 years as its general secretary. Yet, despite the accolades and positions of influence, she remains grounded in her vision to transform rural Sabah into bustling townships for the state’s younger generations. “My dream is to build homes that everyone can afford, and create a liveable environment so young people in Sabah can stay and build their futures here,” she says.

When asked how she’s managed to maintain her passion after all these years, Wong says without hesitation: “I love what I do. My job is my hobby.” For Datuk Susan Wong, success isn’t measured in square footage or profit margins. Every building, shoplot and home is an opportunity for communities to thrive. And for the woman who started with nothing but a challenge at 22, that’s the real reward.

Datuk Susan Wong is the Managing Director of WSG Group and the winner of this year’s SHAREDA Excellence Platinum Award for Top Developer of the Year. Her latest project, Benoni New Township in Papar, Sabah, is also the gold award recipient of the Rural Urbanisation Excellence Award at the SHAREDA Excellence Awards 2024.

Stay tuned to read more stories about other SHAREDA members:  Datuk Chua Soon Ping, Matthew Tan, Gilbert Ee, Wilson Loke, Datuk Quek Siew Hau, Tan King Hong, Datuk Seri Panglima Tang and Soh Wai Fong.