Three from last year’s top 40 dropped off, including Chew Hua Seng, founder of Raffles Education; cranes unit Tat Hong’s Ng Chwee Cheng; and Falcon Energy’s Tan Pong Tyea.

"Confucianism is first and foremost about education, because education can make everyone a better person," Kung says. Education can help any person to grow into a wise man.