James Wong, Who Built Acacia Fabrics into Asian “Powerhouse,” Coronavirus Victim at 52

April 6, 2020

James Wong
James Wong

James Wong, one of the founders of Acacia Fabrics, a leading European fabric distributor in Southeast Asia, has died from the coronavirus, or COVID-19.

He was 52.

“It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Group Managing Director of Acacia Fabrics James Wong has gone back home to the Lord on 27 March 2020 at 10:35am (GMT +8),” an Acacia Facebook post reads. “We stand before you today as a representative of a family in grief in mourning. We are all united in hearts, mind and spirit to pay our respects to James.

“The passage of time never really heals the tragic memory of such an incredible loss. A father. Brother. Husband. Son. Colleague. Business Partner. Mentor, and above all a friend. But we carry on because his light and love continue to guide us. His spirit of resilience and good humor continues to be our torch.”

He is survived by his wife, Joy, his daughter, Jade, and his son Johan.

Gary Neiman, Bru Textiles owner, wrote the following in a LinkedIn post.

“It is with a heavy heart that I have to inform you that our Malaysian partner, James Wong from Acacia, passed away this morning after a very short battle against COVID-19. ...James was an incredible partner, friend, boss and brother, who we enjoyed for 24 years. He was one of the original founders of Acacia, who helped build this small Malaysian company into a huge Asian powerhouse. He was a true leader and always cared unselfishly about others.”

Acacia Fabrics, founded in 1994, is a major distributor of European fabrics throughout Southeast Asia. Over the years, it has grown to be a respected household fabric brand, still working today with its original core team from 1994, according to the company. 

Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it has regional offices and warehouses in Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Acacia Fabrics manages three in-house brands (Acacia, Estelle, and Estelle Prestige) and distributes two other brand names (FR-One and UV Pro). There’s also the Fabric Library, sourced from several Asian countries, with dealerships all across Southeast Asia

“James has gone home now, guided by his faith, and light of God and those he loves,” the Acacia Facebook post reads. “We ache and grief his passing with the memories he gave, the good that he did, and the dreams he kept alive. A living example of an extraordinary man and only his strength has afforded us the strength to move forward. May God bless his soul and may he rest in eternal peace.”

 


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