SUN Complex in Kuala Lumpur is now officially Menara Hai-O.
This was announced at an official opening ceremony attended by Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Hai-O Enterprise Bhd group executive chairman Tan Kai Hee and his son Tan Keng Kang, who is group managing director.
Built in 1978 and situated in the Golden Triangle, Sun Complex was once infamous for its notorious past. The 40-year-old 20-storey building with approximately 220 units and one of the earliest high-rise apartments in Kuala Lumpur began suffering from lack of maintenance as the developer was facing cash flow challenges during an economic recession.
In his speech, Keng Kang said when Hai-O moved into the building to house its corporate headquarters in 1995, the first of the many changes they undertook was to improve security and repair the rundown lifts.
The company also began buying over assets from Sun Complex from 1996.
The name change process began two years ago when Hai-O decided to invest RM40mil to upgrade the building facilities and outlook. To-date, it owns 51% of the building, including the parking lots and several commercial units.
“We have set up a restaurant, laundry shop and convenience store in the building, which have attracted a large crowd,” said Keng Kang of the revamp.
In his speech, Kok Wai who is also Malaysia Special Envoy to China, congratulated Kai Hee for this historic moment, citing it as a reflection of the company founder’s resilient character.
“The Malaysian Chinese community should emulate his resilience. Once detained under the Internal Security Act for his political beliefs, instead of admitting defeat, Kai Hee chose to become an entrepreneur after his release.
“He also believed in the need for community service even before the word ‘CSR’ was invented,” said Kok Wai.
Kok Wai’s admiration for Kai Hee began during his lower secondary school days when he was a former organising secretary of a leftist party and known for his vociferous stand on socialism.
“After my stint in politics, I followed Kai Hee’s business pursuits closely and I am proud to have witnessed his company prosper from a small set up to what it is today,” said Kok Wai.
Asked about the wellness and multi-level marketing company’s decision to house its headquarters in Sun Complex 25 years ago, Kai Hee said he had foreseen that the good feng shui of the building’s location would work to his organisation’s advantage.
The company was listed on Bursa Malaysia a year later.