Dr. Tan Tek Seng

DAILY REFLECTION

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭

God is the living water - He revives what is barren, breathes life into desolate places, and carves rivers through the wilderness. His power to redeem and restore knows no bounds.

Last night at Workplace at the River church, over 200 marketplace believers witnessed a powerful testimony of God’s faithfulness through TOS Patron Tan Sri Dr Tan Koon Swan. His life story is a vivid tapestry of triumph, trial, and divine turnaround.

From humble beginnings, Tan Sri rose to prominence as president of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and held leadership roles in major corporations. Yet in 1985, the Pan-El crisis brought his career to a crashing halt—resulting in imprisonment in Singapore and bankruptcy in Malaysia. The media once calculated it would take 36,000 years to repay his debts.

But God had other plans.

In a miraculous turn, Tan Sri was given the opportunity to broker a major land deal that cleared his bankruptcy in just 36 months. What seemed impossible became reality—not by human effort, but by divine intervention. He chose forgiveness over bitterness, releasing those who had wronged him and walking in the freedom of grace.

Years later, Glenn Knight—the very prosecutor who had charged him - publicly admitted Tan Sri had been wrongfully accused and offered a heartfelt apology. This act of reconciliation further affirmed the redemptive arc of Tan Sri’s journey.

Honours followed: a lifetime achievement award from the World Chinese Economic Forum in 2012, the long-awaited “Tan Sri” title in 2016, and the completion of his Doctorate in Business Administration in 2025.

Tan Sri’s story is not merely one of resilience—it is a living testimony of God’s mercy, justice, and restoration. From the ashes of disgrace, God raised up a man to reflect His glory. What the world saw as an end, God transformed into a new beginning.

Isaiah 43:18–19 reminds us that God specializes in new beginnings. Whether we face personal setbacks, broken relationships, or seasons of dryness, His promise stands: He can carve paths where none exist and bring living water into the deserts of our lives. The past may inform us, but it does not define the future God is preparing.

“The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday.”