Zhu Zhenghua

Zhu Zhenghua was born in the 20th century and studied in Australia in his early years, where he obtained relevant educational qualifications. After returning to Malaysia, he founded an accounting firm focused on financial and accounting services. He was also active in community organizations, joining the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and serving as the party’s treasurer-general. He additionally served as treasurer and government advisor to the Federation of the Malaysian Chinese Assembly Halls, providing policy advice for the economic development of the Chinese community.

After leaving political office, Zhu founded Xiao'en Group in the 1980s. The group, operating under a “funeral services + cultural” business model, promoted innovation and development in traditional cemeteries. Initially positioned in high-end funeral services, it gradually expanded into cultural education, property development, and financial investment. Xiao'en Group holds an important position in Malaysia’s funeral industry; the capacity of niches under its management reached 80,000 as of 2022. Major projects include Rulai Xiao'en Park, Malacca Huai'en Park, and the Heguang Pavilion columbarium in Kuala Lumpur, completed in 2022, which covers 5.5 mu (about 0.9 acres) and combines life education with public welfare functions.

Zhu made filial piety the core value of his enterprise and promoted Chinese culture and the spirit of filial piety through various means. His corporate culture incorporated elements of Chinese philosophy and reflected filial ideals in cemetery design. In his later years he often wrote lines such as “慈母手中线，游子身上衣” (literally: “the thread in a loving mother’s hand, the garments on a traveling son’s back”) to express his emphasis on filial piety. The group has also actively fulfilled social responsibilities by establishing a life-education center and funding charitable causes to promote the transmission and flourishing of Chinese culture.

Zhu Zhenghua died in 1996; his family has continued to manage and develop Xiao'en Group. His wife, Zhu Lin Xiuqin, succeeded him as chairperson, and his eldest son, Zhu Zhaoxiang, serves as managing director. Through diversified business strategies, Xiao'en Group has gradually grown into an internationally influential life-care organization. As of 2025, the group continues to expand its business and influence globally, committed to providing life-care and cultural heritage services.