Tzu Chi Jakarta Volunteer: Pui Sudarto
Works Wholeheartedly, Contributes with Joy
Establishing business and social works are two things that need to be done in a balanced way. This principle is reflected by Pui Sudarto by holding the responsibility as a Deputy Chairman of the Tzu Chi Development Committee. Working with heart and maintaining the trust of others are the key to success in business. Various business opportunities happen as the results of this real work that spreads by itself.
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We must have knowledge and master it when doing business, otherwise it should be avoided,” the quoted message from his father has always stuck in the mind of Pui Sudarto, a man born in Singkawang 63 years ago. "If you do not master (in that particular field) you should not conduct business, resulting in failure rather than succeeding it," said Pui. Who would have thought, this simple message led him to become a successful businessman in the construction sector, which later expanded into the textile, property management, health, and cleaning and security services.
Coming from a simple family, Pui started his business with a lot of struggles before harvesting the results as it is today. His parents are from China who migrated to Singkawang, West Kalimantan. Pui and his seven older brothers were born and raised in this City of a Thousand Temples. When they arrived in Singkawang, the family of Pui Bun Djin survived by farming in a small village in East Singkawang. From this farming, little by little capital was collected for trading. Pui Bun Djin then tried his luck as a trader in food consumer goods. Luck was in Pui’s life, his business started expanding. This is born from the principle of hard work and perseverance. “My father said, only we ourselves can change our destiny,” said Pui. These traits also forge and shape Pui's character, behind his friendly demeanor implied firmness, survival, and extraordinary determination.
Although the father's business is quite developed, his children still face lots of hurdles in getting the proper education. All Pui’s siblings had to drop out of school because they had to work. Luckily, Pui Sudarto was able to finish high school. Pui even surpassed the dreams of Singkawang children in his time, He managed to study for further education in Jakarta. Pui studied at Krida Wacana Christian University, majoring in civil engineering. "This campus is affordable with family finances," he said. He deliberately chose architecture so that when the worst happened, he could go straight to work. “If you drop out of college in medicine, you can't practice. Before we decide something, we need to think about the consequences. “What if you fail due to financial issues? You won’t be able to complete it,” he retorted.
With minimal monthly allowance from his parents, Pui has to rack his brains to survive in Jakarta. Luckily, since childhood, he used to join his brothers in "business". During school holidays, Pui followed his older siblings to a Dayak village on the slopes of Gunung Raya to buy rubber and sahang to sell to Singkawang. It was this business instinct that then pushed him to dare to take on a small project, renovating a house. Profit at that time was not a priority, but to hone experience and competence.
Who would have thought that the small milestone begun in 1979 became the starting point for the founding of a national construction company, Pulau Intan. The name Pulau Intan itself comes from the family clan: Pui. The company was officially established on July 31, 1990 with Pulau Intan Baja and Pulau Intan Lestari which are engaged in the textile sector. "Our business principle is trust. When given one, we must hold on to it; never let people down," said the husband of Tjhai Se Moi. Integrity, customer service and teamwork, these are the values ​​that are maintained in the company.
Bearing Greater Responsibility
His diligence at work and persistence in maintaining trust are the key success factors of Pui Sudarto's business and contributions to Tzu Chi.
Trust, this word is also the reason behind Pui Sudarto getting appointed as Deputy Chairman of the Tzu Chi Development Committee. Starting from the Jing Si Hall, schools (elementary to high school), to hospitals. Apart from these buildings, Pui is also trusted to manifest the love of Tzu Chi people in helping disaster victims, such as the construction of SMA Negeri 1 Padang, SDN Pangalengan Bandung, schools in Lombok and Tzu Chi Tadulako Love Housing, Palu. As in business, all this work was done wholeheartedly, even more so. “Tzu Chi buildings must be sturdy, environmentally friendly, and in harmony with nature. Master Cheng Yen advised that building something is for the long term. This building must last 1000 years. We work wholeheartedly, with all our might, hopefully the results are as expected," he said.
Pui himself began to know Tzu Chi in 2008. At that time he was involved as a volunteer design consultant for the construction of the Indonesian Jing Si Hall. That same year he met Master Cheng Yen in Taiwan. After returning from Taiwan and discussing the construction of the Jing Si Hall, Pulau Intan was then appointed as the contractor to build the Jing Si Hall. Sugianto Kusuma, Deputy Chairperson of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Indonesia Foundation, feels more comfortable and secure if the construction of the Jing Si Hall is handled by Tzu Chi volunteers. Since then, construction work at Tzu Chi has continued to flow because of Pui's diligence at work and steadfast in his beliefs. Work and social activities, these are two things that Pui always conducts. Long before joining Tzu Chi, Pui had been working to help young people in Singkawang and West Kalimantan to get a good education. He doesn't want the experiences of his older siblings who dropped out of school to happen again to the children in Singkawang. Together with his fellow entrepreneurs from Singkawang, Pui founded the Bumi Khatulistiwa Foundation which provides educational scholarships to underprivileged children. The foundation has also built many schools in Singkawang. "Why scholarships? Because in West Kalimantan, especially in Singkawang, a lot of people are uneducated. We strongly wish for Singkawang children to also progress,” said Pui. Since its establishment in 1997, the Bhumi Khatulistiwa Foundation has provided scholarships to 1,578 people from various ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds in West Kalimantan.
Business and social activities are things that need to be done in a balanced way. This principle is adhered to by Pui willingly to assume responsibility as Vice Chairman of the Tzu Chi Development Committee. “We are looking for money in business, right? We also need to look for peace in society. If we have a lot of money but we are not calm, it will also be difficult, so it must be balanced," explained the President Director of Pulau Intan. According to Pui, “In doing business automatically there are joys and there are difficulties, while in social work there are certainly many pleasures. Just as we are currently building the Tzu Chi Love Housing Housing in Palu, I came to Palu myself to see the progress. We also direct the staff that this social work should not be arbitrary. We have to do the best we can, and we build what we want to live in,” said Pui.
Devotion to Hometown
Pui Sudarto (second from left), Deputy Chairman of the Tzu Chi Development Committee in Indonesia when meeting with Master Cheng Yen in Taiwan to directly convey the development progress of Tzu Chi Hospital.
Succeeding in business, Pui Sudarto did not forget his hometown. After 37 years of trying his luck in Jakarta, Pui returned to Singkawang in 2013. Not for an ordinary homecoming. He built Singkawang Grand Mall and Swiss-Bellin Singkawang Hotel. “This is a manifestation of my responsibility and love for my hometown. My family and I get a lot of sustenance from Singkawang City and Kemui Village, it's time for us to return the gratitude by helping to build their economy," said Pui.
Seeing his great commitment to Tzu Chi and the people of Singkawang, in 2019 Pui Sudarto was appointed as Chairman of Tzu Chi Singkawang. In day-to-day operations, Pui is assisted by Susiana Bonardy as the Daily Chairperson. This appointment coincided with the construction of the Singkawang Tzu Chi School on February 18, 2019. Like other Tzu Chi schools, Singkawang Tzu Chi School also emphasizes character education, in addition to superior academic abilities. Standing on an area of ​​10,000 m2, this school consists of kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and high school levels, and is equipped with a library, laboratory, hall, clinic, and multipurpose room.
Pui's noble intentions are in line with Tzu Chi's mission in Singkawang, ranging from education, charitable mission assistance, to agriculture with a coaching system. By synergizing, of course, what is done can be faster and wider so that the impact can be directly felt in the community. “Tzu Chi is different from other social foundations; Tzu Chi already has a direction so that it is easier for us to follow and will not deviate from its direction. If it is with other foundations, our ideas might not be integrated as the working team might not be there. If at Tzu Chi the team has been formed, the rails are already there, we just have to follow them so we don't go wrong," said Pui.
Writer: Hadi Pranoto
Translator: Vissia Budi Apriliana, Sweete (TC School)
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