♪ haslinda amin: hello, and welcome to "high flyers," show that gives you -- >> we meet a man who built one of the largest private banks in indonesia, that is not stopping there. he is constantly looking for ways to pay back into society. let's meet him.

thanks to retail, property, and health care, or is not much he is not involved in chris's medivation probably came from his humble beginnings, who saw the hardships of his parents faced with their petty cap pedicab business. time now for this highflyer to join us on the singapore flyer to tell us about his vision and drive. ♪ haslinda amin: welcome. sanskrit, it means, galaxy, universe. what is the philosophy? why the name?

>> i didn't have special meanings. i pick up a few good names. say it is all you can do. i said what does it mean? they say sanskrit. i said, ok. amin: you started out selling nissan cars. >> before that it was not. i go to the suzuki. haslinda amin: that didn't work out. what happened? at his time, the principles, the factories -- i thought if he called, i would replace him. the factory had a different policy. they opened all of the dealerships.

i am a big dealer. do this for my company did not pay. i said it was the most difficult time in my life. as linda amin: -- haslinda amin you managed to pay back the bank. >> within three years. it was my effort. i do promotion and amsterdam one-day -- in amsterdam one-day. during the lunchtime i would have a call from the department of trade. askedled a desk -- and where i am. i told him. asked what i was doing for

promotion. nobody used it. i am thinking, who should i give? i started to remind my name. my name came to mind. now i tell you, i give it to you. every0 over a quarter year was around $3 million to $5 million. after three years i paid back the ones. today he passed away already. him.nk i/o him -- i owe he does not receive a sent -- cent. haslinda amin: it was not failing. >> of course not. haslinda amin: the most difficult time you said was when the group fired you. >> yes, that is the most difficult time. haslinda amin: why?

why was that the tragic? -- so tragic? >> it made me bankrupt. if you think the other way from a different angle, it is a blessing. -- if iing car business was doing car business today -- i am blessed. : there has always been an entre neural spirit in you. i recall reading that you used to come to singapore. what did you buy? dress.ught ladies i buy a photo album. i buy a what bicycle -- a bicycle. i buy a variety. i am not doing business, i am a tourist so i do not have to pay a tax. that is the way we do it.

i carry it in big luggage. my mom helped me sell it. important -- imported products were popular at the time. in the 1970's. you would say, this is from singapore or hong kong. haslinda amin: what makes an entrepreneur succeed? you get up at 5:30 every morning without fail. it is a very structured day. aton a rainy day i wake up 5:30, on a hard day i wake up at 5:30. when i -- when my company does not make profit, i still do it. to commit, it is not depend on ience or emotion. it is commitment. haslinda amin: what is your advice to aspiring onto the nearest -- aspiring

entrepreneurs? >> you do not just want to be wealthy. that is not an entre nous are -- and onto the newer -- entr epreuner. i earn a portion from indonesia, i give back to indonesia. : does it have to do with your experience in poverty? >> of course. it is a big influence. until now, i hate rich people. haslinda amin: you are one of the richest in indonesia. arrogant,ople are most of them. they bully people. haslinda amin: because you are bullied as a kid, you're now a blank belt in judo. what motivated you?

what encouraged you to become judo. was fair, righteous. that influenced me. >> coming up. haslinda amin: you got married to the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in indonesia? >> that is a good one. nothing wrong with that. ♪

♪ up inda amin: you grew the second largest city in indonesia. you lived in a rented house with your family, shared with two other families. what were your childhood days like? >> ok, as a normal child. a very normal child. which i remember and i experienced was an inferiority complex. most of the poor people were bullied by the rich people. that is also considered my characters. age, i like to protect the needy and the poor. minus, the minus is i have a inferiority -- and into

your day complex -- and in fear or tea complex -- i like to help people people -- four people. : your dad rented out petty cabs -- pedi cabs. ventures. early how did that affect you? tahir: i didn't experience the poor condition. i am the only son. my parents try to do the best for their son. need, i didn't feel any different. maybe i am earlier mature. i see another side, the negative side. see how the elite of the rich

people, bully the poor people. haslinda amin: growing up he wanted to be a doctor. what happened? tahir: you have a dream. medical schools in indonesia. maybe my grades were not good enough. sometimes the donation of the money was not good enough. finally i got a chance to not pay anything. facilityme you had a in taiwan or indonesia. i got in for a month. i quit. delved andin: you quite a lot, including engineering. when did you find your calling?

tahir: after i finished high school, i entered as a civil engineer. i got news as i -- that i was accepted as a medical doctor. finally i went and did business. there are a lot of us doing it. luggage, you buy imported goods. it is not doing well, not successful. and then i applied and i got in. haslinda amin: the university which is now defunct in singapore, quite a life-changing experience. in your second year you got married. to rosie. the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in indonesia. tahir: that is a good one. there is nothing wrong with

that. you marry with the rich. haslinda amin: nothing changed for you. he did say there would be no job waiting for you when you graduated. you did not benefit a single cent. law had histher in own principle. maybe they like their son-in-law to work independently. maybe this is life experience. he wants me to experience the same experience. i think it is good. we take it as positive. haslinda amin: how was that building your business? what was the toughest part? tahir: i think i am born to be independent. what i do is i like to see what people drink and eat.

i try to see from the label where it comes from -- japan, taiwan. i went to japan and taiwan, i look for the factory. i start to propose to import. haslinda amin: it is diversified. it is not just retail. there is also health care, insurance, banking. where do you go from here? how do you grow? what is your strategy? tahir: the sky is blue. haslinda amin: limitless. tahir: limitless. today i am 63 years old. , one is called chronological age, i am 63. my parents know, i know. the second one is called a logical age. who knows? your wife, maybe your girlfriend. most important is psychological

age. how old do you think you are. if you meet a guy and he told you all of his stories. his psychological age is finished. he is old. no matter if he is 40, he is old. if there is somebody who tells you the future, he has hope. he is still young. i am still young in that sense. i still have a lot of the commission and expectation. i want to do more for my country. i want to do more for my people. this is important. haslinda amin: as far as business, your passing on to your son. tahir: this is a very organic, logical consequence. the generation is important. i share it in my lecture. if you look at singapore, you have to look at the generation. you look at the company and generation.

family is the same. i have to build up my son. i am outgoing. you have to look at, who is his son? if he is good, his family is good. is strong. haslinda amin: going forward see in your family? you have a son and daughters, what do you wish for them? tahir: that is a good question. how interviewer asked wanted to be remembered when i died. i said, i want to be good -- see good things. i want to see my children doing good. doing good means they are a good person. they benefit a lot of people. they are honest. they are righteous. the second of course, i want to

see indonesian people live better. talking to my generation, i want to see my children do well. whether they are successful, depends on their decisions. for me as a father, starting from the first, my son -- the first day he was born, 28 years ago i pray everyday. every day, never miss. announcer: coming up. tahir: the people does not need your mercy. they need your commitment. ♪

♪ : you are big on philanthropy. he started a foundation more than two years ago -- 10 years ago. how did you start? tahir: i started with policy and health care. individually.

usually through the church. the church involved me. there were people who had cancer. people who came to me were severe. some i brought to pediatric cancer centers. haslinda amin: why is it important to give back to society? tahir: to give back is very normal. there is nothing to be proud of and nothing special. for myd this opportunity country, indonesia, and i give it back to indonesia. it is a very logical consequence. haslinda amin: there are some areas you are passionate about -- education, health care. tahir: now i do government program. haslinda amin: why? tahir: you have more capacity, you can play more, you can do more. the new president has planned in the next five years we have a

reduced amount for exports. i responded. i think that is true. we try to increase not only the quality of life but more on the pride and dignity of the females of indonesia. as at them to do shopkeeper, nurse,. haslinda amin: you have also moved from discrete philanthropy to strategic philanthropy. up with the gates foundation. why the gates foundation? tahir: i said why'd you pick me up? i said what are you going to do? they said ok, they are willing to put up money. you name it.

i said, ok. in this case i put 500 million. he was shocked. haslinda amin: you meant it. tahir: i made a joke i said i speak english wrongly. my english is lousy. they said you should report. one week later i received a letter from bill and he said, we sign.n abu dhabi and : what about the lessons you learned from how philanthropy should be done. how to make an -- a greater impact. tahir: the people need your commitment. you have an agenda, a time schedule, you are sick, you're healthy, you do it because it is a commitment. itpeople want to be healed,

it does not depend on if a donation is good. they cannot wait. we cannot wait. we have to be systematic. we have a fixed amount. we fix the area and the agenda. this is called philanthropy. haslinda amin: you have been quoted before that you are willing to part with half of your wealth. half of your wealth. if he goes to your people. forr: four indonesia -- indonesia. give me a chance to live better life. i have a small deposit, i can send my children to a better school. that is a blessing. because indonesia or gave it to me. not china, not america, indonesia. to give it back to indonesia is a piece of cake. it is so easy. it is not difficult. haslinda amin: do you see a different indonesia in 10 years?

tahir: that is the hope. haslinda amin: how different can it look? ther: i would like to see famous along the people. they have a right to survive and live better. this is an better -- this is important. haslinda amin: what does indonesia need to do to be one of the tigers in southeast asia? tahir: we are already tigers. haslinda amin: it has not lived up to its potential. tahir: we have to deal with corruption. we have to build up a fair opportunity for everybody. we have to care more about -- we have 40% in poverty. i watched for five years as a special assistant to the foreign minister. i saw 39% in poverty. we should care. haslinda amin: what do you make of the current government? is the president on the right track?

tahir: yes, he is excellent. he is our hope and future. haslinda amin: what policies are encouraging you? tahir: he issued so many business is important because the economy must move forward. we must execute. : employment is an issue? tahir: yes, we have two and a half million -- 2.5 million coming for jobs. it creates more investment. we have to simplify the regulation. we have to guarantee to the investors. we guarantee that we are legal. we guarantee they make a profit. if they don't make a profit, they don't need banks. haslinda amin: it has been quite a journey.

what kind of legacy would you like to leave behind? human,first of all, as a to live not in vain. you have to have a religion, faith, belief. you have to do the righteous. have a good career. have a good family. treat your wife properly. treat your children. be good to your parents. you have to do good work. that makes a person. haslinda amin: and that drives all of your days. thank you so much. it has been a pleasure. ♪

haslinda: hello and welcome to highfliers. vieww that gives the 360 of asia. today we meet someone who is a game changer in vietnam. he played a leading role in attracting pizza hut, mcdonald's and other fast food names to the country. his father-in-law is a prime minister.