Datuk Tan Say Jim

A tireless humanitarian, philanthropist and an all-round ‘ideas guy’, Datuk Tan Say Jim has touched millions of lives around the world by seamlessly blending disparate technologies to bring to life many useful solutions to everyday problems.

From creating electronic passports and electronic identification 20 years ago to investing in agriculture to bolster job and food security, he has been steadily changing the way people think and do things.

Datuk Tan cares deeply about preserving and improving liveability on the planet. He is serious about transforming civilisation sustainably. His most recent foray into better building technologies for property development and construction has led him to build energy-efficient, modern houses one third faster than their usual construction time and with minimal impact on the environment.

By combining the technologies of integrated farming, renewable energy and high-speed IBS (Industrialised Building System), he is building sustainable ‘Smart Villages’ for rural communities across Malaysia. The award-winning concept has been instrumental in empowering the less fortunate - providing homes, offering employment and learning opportunities, and putting food on tables.

A fierce defender for everyone’s right to education, Datuk Tan also helms an institute of higher learning, advocating education as a potent tool and key to unlocking every person’s potential.