Chief Minister, ex-Chief Minister laud Sari’s contributions
Published on: Tuesday, March 26, 2024
By: David Thien
Yeh (centre) and others at the Sari’s 10th Memorial Service at Kian Kok Middle School, on March 25.
Kota Kinabalu: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, former Chief Ministers Tan Sri Musa Aman, Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee praised the achievements and contributions of the late Datuk Seri Panglima Sari Nuar Tan at his 10th Anniversary Memorial Service at the Kian Kok Middle School hall, here, Monday.
The event, organised by the Kota Kinabalu Hokkien Association and Kian Kok Middle School Board of Directors in honour of Sari, a former prominent Sabah Chinese community leader, was attended by Sari’s wife Datin Seri Panglima Tseu Yee Ming and kin.
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Organising Chairman, Kota Kinabalu Hokkien Association President Datuk Clement Yeh, officiated the public memorial service with a moving eulogy, attended by hundreds of invited guests, teachers and students of the school.
Yeh paid tribute to Sari’s generosity in building up Kian Kok and enduring contributions to the community’s wellbeing and education.
Sari had contributed immensely towards Chinese education.
For over 30 years, he served as the Chairman of the Board of Governors for Kian Kok, one of the outstanding independent Chinese schools in the State Capital.
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Hajiji praised Sari for his exemplary altruistic leadership role in education, scholarship endowment, business and trade associations and contributions to society in general at the State and national levels.
Sari was conferred the Justice of Peace (JP), Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK) and Seri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (SPDK) which carry the title Datuk and Datuk Seri Panglima, respectively.
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The Chief Minister’s speech was delivered by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Abidin Madingkir in Malay. Musa, in his speech delivered by Kian Kok teacher Bobby Chiw, recalled their mutual business association in the timber trade when Sari was the head of the Sabah United Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Musa was the head of the Sabah Bumiputra Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Pairin, in his speech, described Sari as an inclusive bridge-builder in the community and State, while Yong said Sari was a model citizen in a multi-racial and multi-cultural Sabah who had contributed much to progress in education and business.
Yong recalled that Sari and his father knew each other as their offices were next to each other’s in Kampung Air.
Yeh said in his eulogy: “I feel deeply honoured to express our love and respect, paying tribute to his remarkable achievements and illustrious life.
“Sari’s name forever shines in our hearts. His life epitomised the highest ideals of dedication and philanthropy.
“He is the pride of our Chinese community and our role model. While his departure fills us with sorrow, it also presents an opportunity to reflect on his life and honour his greatness.
“Sari’s name signifies a business leader and a symbol of philanthropy and education. His life is an epic of our Chinese community, the best representation of social dedication.
“He displayed outstanding business acumen and leadership in the business world, creating numerous brilliant achievements. He was a successful entrepreneur and a patriotic individual with a national vision.
“His businesses not only brought economic benefits to society but also provided employment opportunities for countless families, driving the economic prosperity of the Sabah region.
“He generously contributed to philanthropy, assisting countless individuals in need. He cared for the vulnerable, supported older people and sponsored underprivileged students, helping them overcome adversity and achieve their life dreams. His charitable acts provided material assistance and spread love and warmth throughout society.
“In the field of education, he dedicated himself to promoting the development of Chinese education and creating better learning conditions for students.
“He donated to establish schools, set up scholarships and encouraged students to strive for excellence, nurturing a new generation with aspirations and determination.
“As the Director of Kian Kok, he paid close attention to the development of independent Chinese schools, wisely suggesting that Kian Kok must build an eight-story multipurpose building to sustain itself.
“After years of effort, this dream is about to be realised. This initiative will provide a stable source of income for the school, ensuring its continued development.
“As the Chairman of this memorial service, I would like to take this opportunity to express our deep remembrance and endless respect for the late Sari.
“His life was a selfless dedication to society, a precious asset to our Chinese community. While his departure represents a significant loss, his spirit will forever reside in our hearts.
“We collectively commemorate the late Sari, thanking him for his outstanding contributions to society, Chinese education and Chinese community organisations.
“His illustrious life will forever inspire and guide us towards a brighter future,” Yeh said.
Sari was born at Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, China in 1944. His father and grandfather were textile traders in the Philippines.
In the early 1950s, Sari’s father moved his family to Hong Kong and later settled down in North Borneo, now Sabah. His father passed away in the 1960s.
In the early days in North Borneo, Sari had ventured into trading and rubber plantations.
He had also attempted a deep-sea fishing business but the operation could not be sustained due to issues in recruiting workers at that time.
In 1968, he ventured into the timber industry which lasted 26 years until 1994. Since then, it was prominently property and trading business that Sari excelled in.
Sari was active in local Chinese associations and was for 27 years, the President of the Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) from 1985 to 2012.
He was the Kota Kinabalu Hokkien Association President for 22 years and as the Federation of Hokkien Associations of Sabah President for 22 years.
Sari was the Sabah United Chinese Chamber of Commerce President for 22 years. He had also led the Federation of Chinese Associations of Sabah (FCAS) for 19 consecutive years since its inception.
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