Kuantan: For Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen, preserving cultural heritage and building communities are inseparable missions, whether through championing traditional lion dance or developing new townships in Sabah. The 69-year-old property developer believes Chinese New Year traditions carry values that go far beyond festive celebrations, serving as a vital link between generations.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wong emphasizes the importance of cultural traditions, stating, "For me, Chinese New Year is about preserving our traditions and passing them down to the next generation. From a young age, my children are taught the values of family, such as giving 'ang-pau' and gathering together for the reunion dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year." Wong credits her father for instilling these values, which she now passes on to her children through cultural activities like lion dance and dragon boat racing.
Beyond her family, Wong actively supports traditional performance arts by donating 60 lion dance costumes to Lion and Dragon Dance associations across Sabah this year. She has also organized one of the state's largest Dragon and Lion Dance festivals and a dragon boat competition, encouraging youth participation and strengthening community ties. Wong stresses the importance of sustained support to keep cultural traditions alive, noting that a lack of promotion and support could lead to their decline.
In addition to her cultural preservation efforts, Wong is highly respected for her contributions to Sabah's property development sector over the past four decades. As the managing director of WSG Group, she was recently honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 by the Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association (SHAREDA). She also received the ASEAN Distinguished Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 from the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific, acknowledging her leadership and impact on the regional business community.
Wong's journey in property development began alongside her late father, Datuk Seri Dr Wong Kwok, the founder of Wong Kwok Group. She later established WSG Group in 2007 with her husband, Datuk Wong Ten An, and their children. Under her leadership, the company has developed over 1,000 residential units and more than 200 shoplots, contributing to the transformation of Kinarut into a thriving township.
Looking ahead, Wong plans to develop a new township in Tuaran featuring a water-themed park, continuing her lifelong mission of creating spaces where communities can grow, preserve traditions, and thrive. Wong expresses her passion for her work, stating, "It's no longer work, it's my hobby. I love creating development projects for communities. My dream is always to build homes that everyone can afford and to create a liveable environment for them."