Loh Boon Siew
Encyclopedia
Tan Sri Dato' Loh Boon Siew (1915–1995) also known as “Mr Honda”, was a Penangite tycoon and the first sole distributor of Honda
motorcycle
s in Malaysia.
. He spent his childhood collecting pig dung (then used as fuel) to make a living. Aged 12, he arrived in Penang
on a small boat from China with five friends, among them Loh Poh Heng and Loh Say Bee. He could speak only Hokkien (Min Nan
) and had virtually no formal education. He worked as an apprentice car mechanic (earning three dollars monthly) upon his arrival. It is said that Boon Siew's master used to hit him in the head whenever he did something wrong. He stayed in a ‘coolie
keng’ (workers' quarters) at 4, Katz Street, Penang and he supplemented his income by washing buses at night for 10 cents per vehicle.
, and soon he expanded his business to used cars, transports and buses.
In the 1950s, Boon Siew went into property development with his friends Say Bee and Poh Heng by building residential villas in Taman Saw Kit in Penang. His work is continued by his Boon Siew Group.
In 1958, Boon Siew noticed the popularity of the Honda Super Cub motorbike which had been just introduced in Japan. He believed that this low-cost, high-efficiency machine would find a similarly receptive market in the rapidly urbanizing areas of Malaysia. Boon Siew arranged to meet with Mr. Soichiro Honda
, the bike's creator, and quickly convinced him to set up a Honda subsidiary in Malaysia.
The first Malaysian Honda showroom was set up on Pitt Street in Penang, very near the home of Boon Siew. As a sign of their deepening bond of trust and respect, the Japanese Honda Motor Co Ltd soon appointed Boon Siew the sole distributor for Honda motorbikes in the country just as the historic first 50 units of Honda 4-stroke cub were being imported into Malaysia.
A factory was built in Penang to assemble the Honda Cub and the Honda motorcycle assembled in Malaysia was renamed the Boon Siew Honda. The Honda Cub became the best selling motorcycle in Malaysia and Boon Siew was recognised as the first person to bring the Honda Cub motorcycles into Southeast Asia
. The popular Cantonese word Cub 仔 (transcribed as "kapchai" in informal Malay), which means "small (Honda) Cub" and is now a generic for small underbone
motorcycles in Malaysia, originates from the Honda Cub.
Boon Siew also played a role in the brief merger between Kwong Wah Yit Poh
and The Star (Malaysia)
in 1974, and among his many charitable causes was the establishment of the Lam Wah Ee Hospital
and the Penang Old Folks Home.
Boon Siew had two wives, Oh Guat Sim and Ong Lay Wah. He died in his sleep at the age of 79 on 16 February 1995.
More information on Boon Siew can be found from the book "The Life and Times of a Fire Dragon" by Raymond Flower and Winston Lim with Dato’ Loh Cheng Yean.
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s in Malaysia.
Early life
Boon Siew was born in Hui-An, Fujian province of ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He spent his childhood collecting pig dung (then used as fuel) to make a living. Aged 12, he arrived in Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
on a small boat from China with five friends, among them Loh Poh Heng and Loh Say Bee. He could speak only Hokkien (Min Nan
Min Nan
The Southern Min languages, or Min Nan , are a family of Chinese languages spoken in southern Fujian, eastern Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, and southern Zhejiang provinces of China, and by descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora....
) and had virtually no formal education. He worked as an apprentice car mechanic (earning three dollars monthly) upon his arrival. It is said that Boon Siew's master used to hit him in the head whenever he did something wrong. He stayed in a ‘coolie
Coolie
Historically, a coolie was a manual labourer or slave from Asia, particularly China, India, and the Phillipines during the 19th century and early 20th century...
keng’ (workers' quarters) at 4, Katz Street, Penang and he supplemented his income by washing buses at night for 10 cents per vehicle.
Business
At age 18, Boon Siew purchased 11 buses using his $2,000 in savings. He reconditioned the buses and sold them for $12,000. Next, he used the money he earned to buy another 39 buses. In 1942, during WWII, his money was confiscated by the invading Japanese army. After WWII ended in 1945 and the Japanese were defeated, he started selling bicycles, tires and motorcycle accessoriesMotorcycle accessories
Motorcycle accessories are features and accessories selected by a motorcycle owner to enhance safety, performance, or comfort, and may include anything from mobile electronics to sidecars and trailers...
, and soon he expanded his business to used cars, transports and buses.
In the 1950s, Boon Siew went into property development with his friends Say Bee and Poh Heng by building residential villas in Taman Saw Kit in Penang. His work is continued by his Boon Siew Group.
In 1958, Boon Siew noticed the popularity of the Honda Super Cub motorbike which had been just introduced in Japan. He believed that this low-cost, high-efficiency machine would find a similarly receptive market in the rapidly urbanizing areas of Malaysia. Boon Siew arranged to meet with Mr. Soichiro Honda
Soichiro Honda
was a Japanese engineer and industrialist, and founder of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..Honda was born in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan on November 17, 1906. He spent his early childhood helping his father, Gihei, a blacksmith, with his bicycle repair business. At the time his mother, Mika, was a weaver. At...
, the bike's creator, and quickly convinced him to set up a Honda subsidiary in Malaysia.
The first Malaysian Honda showroom was set up on Pitt Street in Penang, very near the home of Boon Siew. As a sign of their deepening bond of trust and respect, the Japanese Honda Motor Co Ltd soon appointed Boon Siew the sole distributor for Honda motorbikes in the country just as the historic first 50 units of Honda 4-stroke cub were being imported into Malaysia.
A factory was built in Penang to assemble the Honda Cub and the Honda motorcycle assembled in Malaysia was renamed the Boon Siew Honda. The Honda Cub became the best selling motorcycle in Malaysia and Boon Siew was recognised as the first person to bring the Honda Cub motorcycles into Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. The popular Cantonese word Cub 仔 (transcribed as "kapchai" in informal Malay), which means "small (Honda) Cub" and is now a generic for small underbone
Underbone
An underbone is a small motorcycle built on a frame consisting mostly of one large diameter tubular component.The stylistic difference between a motorcycle and an underbone is considerable and they are sometimes known as "step-throughs" or even marketed as scooters in the West.The fuel tank...
motorcycles in Malaysia, originates from the Honda Cub.
Boon Siew also played a role in the brief merger between Kwong Wah Yit Poh
Kwong Wah Yit Poh
Kwong Wah Yit Poh or Kwong Wah Daily is a Malaysian Chinese daily that was founded in 20 December 1910 by Dr. Sun Yat Sen. The daily is based in Penang, where it has the largest readership in the northern region....
and The Star (Malaysia)
The Star (Malaysia)
The Star is an English-language, tabloid-format newspaper in Malaysia. It is the largest in terms of circulation in Malaysia, according to the . It has a daily circulation of between 290,000 to 300,000...
in 1974, and among his many charitable causes was the establishment of the Lam Wah Ee Hospital
Lam Wah Ee Hospital
Lam Wah Ee Hospital is a 700 bedded tertiary acute care hospital located at Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim, Penang, Malaysia. This not-for-profit private hospital is accredited by the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health and ISO 9001:2008 certified...
and the Penang Old Folks Home.
Boon Siew had two wives, Oh Guat Sim and Ong Lay Wah. He died in his sleep at the age of 79 on 16 February 1995.
More information on Boon Siew can be found from the book "The Life and Times of a Fire Dragon" by Raymond Flower and Winston Lim with Dato’ Loh Cheng Yean.