Dato' Tong officially took office as FIABCI President at the closing ceremony of the Federation's 56th annual congress last month. Following his graduation with an architectural degree in 1959 from the University of Sydney, Australia, Dato' Alan Tong worked in Sydney for a year as an architect before his return to Malaysia, joining the Architectural Department of the municipality of Kuala Lumpur.
In 1964 he started his own architectural practice, and four years later, founded Sunrise Sdn Bhd as a private property development company in Kuala Lumpur. His Chairmanship of Sunrise Sdn Bhd was interrupted when he was elected State Assemblyman for State of Selangor in 1974. He served his constituency for two consecutive four year terms the last term as a State Executive Councillor.
Dato' Alan Tong was very active in Malaysian politics, for the state of Selangor, where he stood as a member of various committees including those for economic development and public works/ utilities. After his departure from politics, Alan then resumed the Chairmanship of Sunrise Sdn Bhd guiding the course for the company's growth, while weathering the property slump of 1986, and listing Sunrise Bhd on the Main Board of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange in 1995.
In 1994, Alan was conferred the Title of 'Dato' by the Sultan of Selangor (Order of Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Knight Commander). In early 1997, he sold his holdings in Sunrise Bhd a few months before the Asian financial crisis, to the envy of many in the property industries. He is now the Group Executive Chairman of Bukit Kiara Properties Sdn Bhd and ATKM Sdn Bhd, two private companies he formed 3 years later with his son, to undertake further
property development.
He had offered his expertise to the Malaysia Housing Developers' Association where he had held positions of Deputy President and Secretary General.
Dato Alan Tong had contributed enormously to FIABCI, occupying a number of positions. He was President of the Malaysian Chapter for 6 years, during which time he chaired the APREC Congress in Kuala Lumpur in 1997, before becoming Deputy World President Asia Pacific in 1997. He was awarded the Medal of Honour in 1998. His advisory role includes the creation of two new chapters in the Philippines and Thailand together with his active participation in many committees including the China Working Party, Strategic Planning, Congresses and the Prix d'Excellence.
During his inauguration speech as President, Dato' Alan Tong expressed his desire to significantly increase membership within FIABCI to further its global reach. In order to do this, a new regional secretariat for Asia Pacific has been created to expand FIABCI presence and provide administrative services to chapters in India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. He continued to say that his objectives this year are to ensure that FIABCI will become even more dynamic, progressive and cost effective.
Source: FIABCI
