Clement Hii’s first tiny entrepreneurial step with the media business was as a newspaper vendor at age 9, selling Chinese daily papers at the roadside each morning before going to school in Sibu. 

At age 19, he became the Chief Editor of East Malaysia’s largest English paper, the Borneo Post. Decades later, he was to be at the helm of Malaysia’s largest English paper, the STAR, for two years as its Executive Deputy Chairman.

As a working adult, he went back to college to take up an external law degree program. On graduation, he bought over the institution in Kuching and became known as “Hii who bought his college”. The college had 6 students.

Today, SEGi University & Colleges is among the largest private institutions of higher learning in Malaysia. Hii also founded and controls HCK Capital Group which is a listed diversified business group with interests in property development, technology and investments.

The Group has been touted as Malaysia’s top creator of education cities and smart cities. Both SEGi and HCK are listed on the Bursa Malaysia stock exchange. The education group also has K-12 schools, TVET college and digital learning platforms in its stable.