Local Boat Entrepreneur Sails Towards Rosy Horizon By Ignatius Stephen

Bandar Seri Begawan - If you ask a man like Mr S.Y Tan who is really answering His Majesty's recent call to make sure SMEs in Brunei are becoming a reality, he has some home truths for the young local entrepreneurs to take heed.

Because for Mr Tan, 45, Managing Director Ken and Tan Sdn Bhd who is now a leader in the local boat building industry, it has been truly a rags-to-riches story. It is the tale of a man who only a few years ago was jobless for some months and with a family to feed. That was when he quit a well paying job as operations manager with the then Brunei's No 1 boat building firm, Continental Yachting in the mid 90s.

"My wife was very worried. She thought that I should remain with Continental with a secured salary," Mr Tan recalled. "But I was convinced that with honesty and hard work, I could sail through so I took the risk," said the boat builder who has his large yard at Lot 37, Simpang 557, Salar Industrial Estate in Jalan Muara.

In the beginning with the little saving he had shored up he started a small "backyard venture from a location in Jalan Muara.

"I lost money for two years. But I did not give up. I was determined to succeed," he told the Weekend yesterday. However at the start of year 2000 contracts began to come in and Ken and Tan was ready to set sail towards a rosy horizon.

"I was happy that we were doing this despite the current general economic slump in the country. I personally saw to it that our products were excellent and our delivery dates reliable and we were very keen on courteous service.

"That has been our recipe in achieving success," he said. "You see you are the star, the customers are your fans and it is important that you keep your fans happy. That can only be done if you satisfy their needs speedily and with due respect and appreciation. That's why you have to perform."

Ken and Tan moved into the large yard at the Industrial Estate in Jalan Muara last year. The company which began in a little backyard in Jalan Muara was definitely setting sail in the right direction.

And although he had been successful in marketing his craft to the local fisherman and the leisure segment and government departments at first the real breakthrough internationally came when he exported a pleasure craft to Darwin.

His opportunity came during a government sponsored international exhibition at the BITE 2004 Brunei International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas in cooperation with the Northern Territories, Australia. "I was lucky to meet some Darwin businessmen there and a deal was struck. I exported my first craft to Darwin in 2005. Since then I developed various international contacts. "Particularly I am very glad that Brunei made boats are exhibited in Jersey, Cannel Islands at Compass Marine Ltd showroom. Also there have been further exports to Australia and elsewhere. New Zealand is our next target," he said. No doubt the company is set sail to greater heights. And what has Mr Tan to say to young aspiring entrepreneurs in Brunei?

"Follow your dreams through. Have faith in yourselves. Be honest and work hard. Do not let disappointment and doubts get the better of you.

There are a million opportunities waiting for you," said Mr Tan who is grateful to His Majesty's government for its effort in building an infrastructure geared towards the wellbeing of the people and the economic growth of the nation.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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