Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen, Managing Director of WSG Properties, On Winning The SHAREDA Platinum Excellence Award For Lifetime Achievement
As one of only two Platinum SHAREDA Excellence Award winners, this one for Lifetime Achievement, Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen, who has been instrumental in much of Sabah’s development scene, is a deserving winner, with a long list of achievements reflecting her leadership, courage, and vision.
The undeniable impact of WSG Properties and of Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen, its managing director, has resulted in a legacy steeped with accolades. Just this year, the non-profit think tank KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific bestowed Wong with the ASEAN Distinguished Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award during its ASEAN Sustainable Forestry Summit.
Wong, who also served as SHAREDA’s chairperson from 2009 to 2012 following 16 years as its secretary-general, was also honoured with the Top Developer of the Year Platinum Excellence award by SHAREDA last year. Meanwhile, WSG Properties received SHAREDA’s Gold Excellence Award for Rural Urbanisation Transformation for its 100-acre Benoni New Township in Papar, which is located along the RM48 billion, 2,083km Pan-Borneo Highway that connects Sarawak and Sabah with Brunei.
The continuation of this township project, which consists of Parklane City Benoni and Benoni Commercial Centre, has resulted in the fulfilment of more than 300 shop lots with international F&B chains, 180 units of double-storey terrace houses, and more than 1,000 condominium units. “Our next phase of the Benoni township is the sports arena to encourage healthier and active lifestyles for the residents, and to introduce sporting excellence to the area,” Wong says. For her, the Lifetime Achievement Award is a continuation of her daily efforts, a disciplined motivation to always grow and improve, as many of her peers continually attest to.
“One of my most important career highlights is Benoni New Township, because Papar is my mother’s (Datin Seri Panglima Chen Si Mui) hometown. And the happiest day for me was when we finally opened the town’s first cinema, to realise her dream of watching movies in her hometown.”
“In 2007, I formed my own property company—WSG Group—and my first project was Taman Sungai Wang in Kinarut. This was followed by Rose Garden, Kinarut Palm Square, and The Palm Condominium. This year, we continue with Kinarut Palm City and Kinarut Palm Avenue. The latter includes a 16,000 sq ft banquet hall and 10Star Cinemas, as well as 52 units of two-storey shoplots, bringing greater F&B, commerce, and entertainment options to the neighbourhood. It’s indeed a great milestone that all our efforts and development have contributed to people calling this area the Kinarut New Township.
“I’m so excited that SHAREDA has given me this honour, which I would like to dedicate to my late father, Datuk Seri Panglima Wong Kwok, whose company—the Wong Kwok Group—I joined to begin my property development career in 1980. Together with my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, we completed many projects such as Far East Garden, Taman Southern, Taman Green View, Golf Garden, Beverley Hills Apartments, Melinsung Summer Bay Apartments, City and University Apartments, and also Kinarut Palm Beach Villa.
“One of my most important career highlights is Benoni New Township, because Papar is my mother’s (Datin Seri Panglima Chen Si Mui) hometown. And the happiest day for me was when we finally opened the town’s first cinema, to realise her dream of watching movies in her hometown.
“My career, and all of its achievements, is also thanks to the support of my family—my husband, daughters, and sons, whose strength and wonderful love gave me the confidence to focus on chasing my dreams, and to also be guided by love and compassion in my business decisions, creating a memory of my father’s most important advice to me: ‘The winner never quits, and the quitter never wins’.”
Photography: Jemmie Chew, and Hailey Tan/COOP Studio
Production assistant: Yiyee Tan/COOP Studio
Backdrop: Within TheOccasions
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