Boon Siew’s legacy lives on

From rags to riches: Founder of Boon Siew Sdn Bhd Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew (left) worked his way up from a mechanic to a motor tycoon as Malaysia’s distributor of Honda motorcycles and cars.Here he was with Honda Motor Co Ltd, Japan, founder Soichiro Honda.

More than two decades after his passing, the word and business philosophy of ‘Mr Honda of Malaysia’ still rule.

THE family of the late Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew – the richest man in Penang during his lifetime – has been shrouded in mystery for decades, with the unexplained death of a key family member and wild speculations on the size of their wealth.