Affectionately called “Mr Toilet”, 67-year-old Jack Sim is widely known as a philanthropist and entrepreneur who founded the World Toilet Organisation as well as the Restroom Association of Singapore.
Not one to rest on his laurels, he is also the founder of the Australian International School in Singapore and 16 companies including Maybricks Sdn. Bhd, the biggest brick factory in Malaysia.
Yet, before all these achievements, he was an academically incompetent naughty boy from a poor family, a hotel and catering student, a construction site supervisor, and also a salesman.
His unconventional path to success gave him unique insights into life, which he always expresses in catchy, light-hearted words.
Read on for five of Jack Sim’s interesting quotes from his interview with Vintage Radio SG, a digital radio station available online and via mobile app.
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Jack Sim 101
1. "There was nobody talking about toilets in the last 27 years, and I have taken this subject and gone to put it on the media centre stage worldwide"
Jack Sim started off supplying toilet partitions for public toilets and, in the process, he understood the behaviour of people in public toilets as well as how to design public toilets.
After he retired, he volunteered at Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) as a counsellor.
Soon, fate guided him back where his past expertise lay in.
In 1998, in response to the former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong’s call to measure graciousness against the cleanliness of public toilets, Jack talked to the then National Environment Agency (NEA) Director-General of Public Health Daniel Wang and set up the Restroom Association of Singapore (RAS) with his support.
Cooperating with the NEA, the RAS worked with toilet owners across Singapore and greatly enhanced toilet sanitation and maintenance.
In 2001, Jack founded the World Toilet Organisation (WTO), a global non-profit for sanitation enhancement.
In 2012, the founding date of WTO was adopted as World Toilet Day by the United Nations.
2. "I became like an ‘out-standing’ student in the physical sense"
Contrary to his success in adulthood, Jack was not a good student in primary and secondary schools. He was very playful and was always joking and laughing at the back of the class with his friends.
As a result, he was always asked to stand outside the class, and hence became an “out-standing” student.
He was also always sent for public caning on stage.
"Public caning was pretty good because after that I didn't have stage fright all my life. I can just go on stage anytime, it’s no problem."
3. "After school, everyone failed at ‘A’ Level but did very well in society"
After secondary school, Jack went to Our Lady of Lourdes to complete private ‘A’ Levels.
“After school, everyone failed at A-Level,” Jack says. Yet, they went on to become top bond traders, fashion designers, DJs, Talent Time winners, broadcasters, casino operators…
Counter to the common adage, good examination results don’t seem a prerequisite for societal success.
For Jack himself, he went from a “pai-kia” to Mr Toilet.
4. "Luck – there is no secret"
When asked about the secret to his success, Jack says, “Most businessmen don’t want to admit it, but luck plays like 70% of whatever happens.”
He describes himself as someone who “follows the flow naturally”, and who seizes opportunities whenever he sees them.
When the construction industry was going well, Jack noticed the rising brick price, which represented a need that had not yet been satisfactorily delivered. He then decided to start a brick business.
He found a brick factory and a number of investors and borrowed as much as he could from banks. Quickly, his business started to grow.
"I also partnered with Germans, French, Taiwanese, Malaysians and did a series of real estate development in Singapore."
5. "When I first retired at 40, I had 14,600 days. Now I’m 67, so I have 4,714 days before I die on my 80th birthday"
Jack’s only advice for people is “try to know that your life is very short”. He has a countdown on his phone till his 80th birthday.
The answer is “No”, of course.
"Cherish every moment and every relationship. Having more or less money doesn't make a difference."
This content was originally aired on Vintage Radio. To listen to the complete podcast, click here.
