Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Tan Khoon Hai

Executive Chairman of SWS Capital Bhd.

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri is passionate about giving back to the community and works tirelessly in support of social welfare and education charities.

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Tan Khoon Hai was born in Muar, Johor but fate and a chequered career led him to the bright lights of cosmopolitan Penang where, through sheer talent and determination, he succeeded in carving out an illustrious career for himself. At the same time, he managed to integrate effortlessly into the local Chinese community, contributing his time and talents in a variety of important roles.

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri comes from a poor family, the fourth of eleven children. After graduating from secondary school, he left for Kuala Lumpur where he studied for an accounting qualification while working in various jobs to support himself. An honest and unassuming young man, he got along easily with people and was well-liked by his peers. These qualities have served him well and today, he is a well-respected figure in the business world where he has built up an impeccable reputation and is looked up to as a role model. Highly-accomplished, he is a qualified company secretary, business management consultant and accountant with his own accounting firm which provides a wide range of services catering to various sectors including industries, plantations, public and long-haul bus services, and housing development. He has served on the boards of several companies including, until recently, Pensonic Holdings Sdn Bhd where he was Executive Director and played a significant role in taking the company public in 1995. He is currently the Executive Chairman of SWS Capital Bhd and Chairman of EKA Noodles Bhd. besides being a substantial shareholder in both companies.

An honest and unassuming young man, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri got along easily with people and was well-liked by his peers.

From a very early stage, the young Tan Khoon Hai knew deep down that he would never achieve his full potential by working for other people, and so he made the decision to strike out on his own. The first ten years proved to be some of the most challenging of his career. Working more than ten hours a day, he would ride his motorcycle everywhere, travelling far and wide to meet his clients and do their accounts. Later on, his entrepreneurial ambitions took him down a different career path and saw him venturing into the world of business where his high level of financial acumen and sound judgement helped him succeed in building his fortune.

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri has weathered many storms throughout his career. In the process, he has come to believe that, in order to achieve success, one must not only work hard and accept challenges – one must also be willing to obtain and accept help from others. In his opinion, when one’s personal talents are supplemented by the help and goodwill of others, success will surely be just around the corner. Therefore, he has these words of advice for young people: work hard, persevere and cultivate a good attitude, then at the right time, success will be yours to reap.

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri is passionate about giving back to the community and works tirelessly in support of social welfare and education charities. He currently holds positions in several associations and educational institutions, among them the Federation Of Chen (Tan) Clan Associations of Malaysia, where he is Honorary Advisor, and Penang Fujian Merchants Association, of which he is Chairman cum Trustee. Moreover, heritage and cultural conservation being issues close to his heart, he established the Jin Xiu Art Gallery & Tea House, located in a restored historical building in the heart of Georgetown, with the aim of promoting local arts, culture and the work of new, up-and-coming Malaysian artists.

丹斯里拿督斯里陈坤海不仅坚信努力才会成功，坚守为人处事不拖沓要有决断力，也坚持“取诸社会，用诸社会”

所谓不是猛龙不过江，诞生于柔佛州麻坡的丹斯里拿督斯里陈坤海硕士越过麻河，北上至人才济济的槟城，凭着惊人的能耐以一己之力创出一番事业，成功融入本地华社担任多个举足轻重的要职。

祖籍永春县五里街吾东村的陈坤海诞生于清贫的大家庭，共有十一个兄弟姐妹的他排行第四。中五毕业后，他就离乡背井到吉隆坡进修半工半读考取海外会计师资格。他为人谦虚敦厚，交友广阔人缘极佳，在商业界拥有良好声誉，为工商界闻人和儒商典范。此外，他不仅是会计师，也是公司秘书及商业管理顾问。并拥有本身开设的会计公司，其所营业之业务包括工业、种植业、公共与长途巴士服务业及屋业发展。

提到创业的过程，陈坤海坦言当时深觉“工字不出头”，不想汲汲营生一辈子所以决定创业，人生将来或许有转机。起初十年是最辛苦的，每天工作十多小时，骑着一部摩托车到处去承接做账的工作；后来进军商场，靠着智慧和眼光赚了一些钱，生活才渐渐有起色，公司也越做越好。“我也不是说打工不好，也可以养家糊口，就端看个人怎么想而已。”

他表示，成功的秘诀除了勤力和奋斗之外，贵人也很重要，获得贵人扶持加上自身的能力与才华，才能相辅相成，一同迈向成功之道。他在 1977 年在槟城当会计师楼学徒时就结识了槟城遍视利控股有限公司 (Pensonic Holdings Berhad) 的创办人拿督斯里周荣吉。在为一些商家服务时，他贡献自己的知识和专长，协助商家申请新兴工业地位、提供代客加工服务、塑造品牌，最终完成上市大计，现已功成身退。

陈坤海现是 SWS 资本有限公司 (SWS Capital Berhad) 主要大股东兼主席及一家面 (EKA) 有限公司主席兼大股东，他寄语年轻人：“只要秉持拼搏精神、坚持努力不懈、端正心态，天时地利人和之下，成功机会指日可待。”也呼吁年轻人多参与宗乡团、商会组织，从中可获得更多交流平台和商业机会。

有说创业难，守业更难，孩子现帮忙打理生意，陈坤海表示：“正因如此，所以我的孩子必须要更努力，家业才得以长存。”他会从旁引导他们走正道，只期望孩子们恪守本份，不做不该做的事，不赚不该赚的钱。“他们这一代至少比那时的我幸运，生活条件比以前好，只要肯努力，未来前途并不会过的太差。”

丹斯里拿督斯里陈坤海不仅坚信努力才会成功，坚守为人处事不拖沓要有决断力，也坚持“取诸社会，用诸社会”，对社会福利及教育慈善事业不遗余力，同时担任多间社团及教育机构要职，包括马来西亚陈氏宗亲总会名誉顾问及槟城福商公会主席兼信托人。此外，他更成立了“锦绣画廊茶艺馆”，宗旨在于让艺术文化迈向企业化，成为马来西亚新生代艺术家的发展平台，并通过互联网让他们进行更广泛的交流及宣传画家的作品。他说：“有了这个发展平台，艺术家的天赋才华才得以施展、理想也得以实现。”他表示未来仍会继续投入企业发展工作及参与慈善与福利活动。

丹斯里拿督斯里陈坤海于 2010 年荣膺最高元首端姑米占再纳阿比丁陛下封赐皇室英明将领荣誉勋章 PSM 丹斯里勋衔，较早时分别在 2008 年荣膺槟州元首阁下封赐 DGPN 拿督斯里衔及 2002 年荣膺 DSPN 拿督勋衔。