Heng Siew Chiang Sdn. Bhd. (王受長有限公司) is a Malaysian company headquartered in Tawau, Malaysia. The company's business operations include wholesale and retail of foodstuffs and household supplies, import-export of agricultural commodities,[1] currency exchange[2] and plantations.

Heng Siew Chiang Sdn. Bhd.
Native name
王受長有限公司
Company typePrivate Limited Company
IndustryConglomerate
Founded1948; 76 years ago (1948)
FounderHeng Siew Chiang
HeadquartersTawau, Malaysia
Area served
Southeast Asia
Key people
  • Heng Siew Chiang (founder)
  • Heng Tiang Shin (managing​ director)
  • Wong Yin Yen (sales manageress)
Products
WebsiteFacebook page

History

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1948–89: Founding and incorporation

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The company was founded in 1948 by the late Heng Siew Chiang (1918–1978) in Tawau, North Borneo as his business venture in the Nanyang region after emigrating from Chaoyang, China. Established as "Chop Heng Siew Chiang", it had its beginnings as a modest import-export trading house and grocery shop on the Dunlop Street[3] and later on the Belian Street, based mainly on household supplies and agro-food products.

Following the formation of Malaysia, it was renamed "Kedai Heng Siew Chiang" (Malay for Heng Siew Chiang's Shop) before becoming today's incorporated "Heng Siew Chiang Sdn. Bhd." or "王受長有限公司" in its Chinese name since 1977.

1990–present: Change of managing director and expansions

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Heng Tiang Shin, fourth son of the late founder, by his first wife, took the reins of the family business in the early 1990s as the managing director, and has expanded the company's business segments in shipping and plantations. Having academically qualified in the UK since 1983, he was admitted as an Associate Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in 1986 and became Fellow Member in 1991. He is currently a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA).

Lawsuits and disputes

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The company had been involved in a number of legal disputes.

Most notably, it came to public attention when it sued the Malaysian Government in the High Court after officers from the Control of Paddy and Rice Section (Malay: Bahagian Kawalselia Padi dan Beras) seized an HSC rice transshipment cargo in 2006 on grounds of bringing it into Malaysia without import licence.[4] The Malaysian Government won the case on 20 October 2009 and the presiding judge ruled that the company imported rice from Vietnam without licence and was in violation of the Control of Padi and Rice Act 1994.[5]

However, the High Court ruling was eventually overturned by the Court of Appeal and was set aside with damages on 6 August 2012. Dato' Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus, Dato' Alizatul Khair binti Osman Khairuddin and Datuk Lim Yee Lan unanimously allowed the company's appeal and decided that the seizure of the HSC rice cargo by the Malaysian Government was unlawful as it was not meant for importation into Malaysia from Vietnam, but transshipment at Malaysia from Vietnam to the Philippines and Indonesia.

References

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  1. ^ "Judgment by Yang Arif Hakim Dato Abdul Rahman Bin Sebli". The High Court of Sabah & Sarawak. 20 October 2009. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  2. ^ "List of money-changing licensees". CLJ Law. 31 March 2003. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  3. ^ Richard Ker (13 April 2017). "Rare old colour photos of Tawau in 1964/1965". North Borneo Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2 November 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  4. ^ "CLJ Bulletin, Issue 2010, Vol 17". CLJ Law. 30 April 2010. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  5. ^ "The High Court of Sabah & Sarawak Civil Suit No.T (21) 15 of 2007". The High Court of Sabah & Sarawak. 20 October 2009. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
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