Kinta Valley Personalities: Ambassadors of Entrepreneurship

Olivia Lum

Photo: Courtesy of Hyflux Group                  

When word got around that Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) would set up a campus in Kampar, it brought in much anticipation for the small mining town community. When UTAR Perak Campus officially commenced in 2007 with 500 foundation students, the seed of change was officially planted and Kampar transformed into a burgeoning town providing business opportunities for entrepreneurs and raising the bar for educational opportunities among local families with school going children.

Today, Kampar is a thriving town with a harmonious mix of students, businessmen, academics and local residents. UTAR is thankful to be part of the Kampar community who has welcomed its staff and students with much warmth. 

In return, UTAR has taken the commitment to document and archive the rich history of Kampar and its people. Many people may not know but Kampar is also the origin of many successful entrepreneurs and multi millionaires. UTAR embarked on a mission to document their entrepreneurial journey to success including their childhood days in Kampar in the hope that they will provide an inspiration to other young people in Kampar and to students who can look up to them as role models. These outstanding individuals embody the spirit of perseverance, struggle for success, innovation and entrepreneurship. Their success story is one that is worth sharing among old and young.

UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik and Vice President of R & D and Commercialisation Ir Prof Lee Sze Wei went on a mission to meet Olivia Lum in Singapore on 26 March 2015. Olivia Lum is a well known businesswoman who is the founder, executive chairman and group chief executive officer of Singapore-based Hyflux Group. Hyflux is listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange and employs around 2,400 employees worldwide. It operates some of the world’s largest seawater reverse osmosis plants in Algeria, China and Singapore, and has won numerous awards including the Water Company of the Year at the Global Water Awards by the Global Water Intelligence in 2006 and Frost and Sullivan Asia Pacific Water Technology Company of the Year in 2014.

Hyflux’s first government contract was with the Singapore government.  Hyflux had the experience in recycling water for industries. Hence, by the time the NEWater initiative was launched, Hyflux was in a good position to win the project tender and provide the technological know-how. The purified wastewater was branded as NEWater by Singapore’s national water agency, PUB, which became a household name. Later projects included the desalination of seawater, thereby increasing Singapore’s self-sufficiency in water.

Olivia came from very humble origins. Born in Kampar, Perak, Olivia never met her biological parents, being abandoned at the hospital after birth. She was adopted by an old woman who also adopted other children and was financially incapable of providing for the children and lived in poverty.

From primary school days, she had to work and look for food to feed everyone. She had to struggle even to have the basic needs of food, water and shelter, with no electricity supply at home.  She persevered and aimed to emerge from the life of poverty and was advised in school that studying hard was the way out.

She subsequently went to Singapore at the age of 15 to continue schooling and eventually went on to obtain a degree in Chemistry. After she graduated from university, she started working as a chemist at Glaxo Pharmaceuticals. It was always her dream to start a business, and during her employment, she saw the potential of the water industry. Eventually, she ventured into business, took risks and worked very hard to realize her dreams. Her determination to succeed and her optimism was truly a driving force in her success. She ventured where others hesitated and treaded where others feared. She believed in herself and charted her own path to success.

Since her humble beginning, Olivia has amassed great success for herself. In 2005, her net worth was over US$240 million, which made her the only woman in Forbes’ Southeast Asia Rich List.  She has also occupied various positions in public service such as the president of the Singapore Water Association and a nominated Member of Parliament of Singapore from 2002 to 2005.

Her life journey is truly an inspirational rags to riches story.  

For the full version, please check out this link:  Olivia Lum: Full Story

From left: Prof Chuah, Ms Olivia Lum and Prof Lee

Bedok NEWater Plant, Singapore
Photo: Courtesy of Hyflux Group

Tuaspring Desalination Plant, Singapore
Photo: Courtesy of Hyflux Group



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