Philosophy: Better to Give than to Receive

I am inspired by the philosophy of Dato’ Dr. Tan Hian-Tsin on giving. He said, “It’s Better to Give than to Receive”. My association with Dato’ Dr. Tan Hian-Tsin and his wife, To’ Puan Tan-Tsao Sui Lan goes back since 1993 while I was serving as the President of JCI Kuching Chapter.

Junior Chamber International, JCI is is a worldwide community of young active citizens ages 18-40 who share the belief that in order to create positive change, we must take collective action to improve ourselves and the world around us. Engaging in activities ranging from community development to international projects, members demonstrate their social responsibility and improve themselves through participation, leadership and action.

I remember vividly one day when I personally approach Dato’ Dr. Tan to support JCI Kuching to raise fund for our Chapter to buy our Chapter’s permanent secretariat and he replied positively to support the project without any hesitation.

Dato' Dr. Tan (Centre), Second from left, Professor Dr Wu Xiu, Second from right, To' Puan Tan-Tsao Sui Lan, Poh (Right)

Shortly after our discussion, Dato’ Dr. Tan, his beloved wife, To’ Puan Tsao-Tan Sui Lan who did her finger painting together with Professor Dr. Wu Xiu from China staged the Chinese Art Exhibition organized by JCI Kuching and JCI Damai and the project successfully raised some funds for the purchased of our permanent secretariat.

A “Big Thank You” to Dato’ Dr. Tan, To’ Puan Tan-Tsao Sui Lan and Professor Dr. Wu Xiu for your generosity. From the last blog that I posted, many people ask me who is Dato' Dr. Tan-Hian Tsin and below is an excerpt taken from one of the article published by JCI News about Dato Dr. Tan and him I believes his success story will inspire you.

Who is Dato' Dr. Tan-Hian Tsin?
When a man with only a primary education goes on to receive honorary doctorate degrees from prestigious American and Chinese universities, is conferred with a "Datoship" (an honor equivalent to a knighthood), and has hundreds of other recognitions coming his way, the question that immediately comes to mind is: "Who is he and what did he do?"

In the late 1940s, as a young and ambitious entrepreneur in Singapore, Tan created a company specializing in woven and knit shirts and undergarments. He envisioned the development of homegrown branded products that would take the world by a storm.

Tan began looking for names of animals -- "Tiger," "Lion," "Elephant" -- as the brand name and an animal figure as the trademark. To his utmost disappointment, he found that all such animal names were already registered. Then the name "Crocodile" flashed in his mind and he was happily surprised to find out that the name was available for registration.

That's how Tan, a 22-year-old Chinese youth, launched the Crocodile brand way back in 1947. Riding on Crocodile, there was no looking back. Sailing through rough waters and overcoming extremely difficult hurdles, Tan made Crocodile one of the most popular brands of Asia. It now has a presence in 24 countries with more than 100 product lines and 1000 exclusive stores and galleries.

"A brand that is for the masses should be easily recognizable by the layman," says Dr. Tan, now Chairman of Crocodile International Pte. Ltd. Popularly known as "Mr. Crocodile," he believes that the name and the mark should leave an impression in people's mind. "Good quality at an affordable price is what makes a brand click," he adds.


Better to Give than to Receive...
At the JCI Foundation Reception in Fukuoka, Dato’ Dr. Tan was called on stage with his wife. He made a brief speech in which he pointed out that he was not really a wealthy man, but he believed in Jesus Christ's teachings that "It's better to give than to receive," and he felt fortunate to be able to donate to an organization like JCI that helps young people succeed, young people who believe that "Service to humanity is the best work of life."

His words as well as his humble and approachable demeanor deeply touched all reception attendees. JCI Members will benefit not only from Dato’ Dr. Tan's generous donations, but also from the admirable example he sets for young people worldwide.

I trust that the above article will inspire and motivate you to give a little bit more.

Happy Giving . . .