Being a successful entrepreneur and ranked as the top ten richest man in Indonesia, Sukanto Tanoto also faced many unwanted attention from various parties. It is in human nature that people will be jealous of successful others, and extreme cases of such jealousy and unhappiness will be interpreted into behavior and actions that are not the most gracious.
As a successful entrepreneur, more responsibility is actually added to him and his business entities and people will have a higher expectation of him and his actions. Sukanto Tanoto did not take this privilege for granted and he continually contributed to the society, knowing that he has the ability to do so. However, contrary to what people say, Sukanto Tanoto did not do all these just to feed the wants of the society or to put up an act for the society. If he wanted to do so, he could have done it in a more efficient method and publicise all his good deeds. In fact, many of his contributions are not recorded, let alone being publicized.
Unlike any other tycoons, Sukanto Tanoto is a self-made billionaire who had been through all the hardship ever since he was young. He understood the meaning of hardships and what it felt like to be the needy ones. This did not just fill his mind as a useless memory, but these experiences moulded his character. Just like a boat crusing in the sea, his character acted as the support below the waterline; many people are able to see the polished deck and extravagant sail above the waterline (in this case is his businesses), but what enabled the boat to sail is his strong character and integrity.