Sarkunan “Sarky” Subramaniam, a recognised leading figure in Malaysia’s real estate industry, celebrated the launch of his memoir, The Other Side of Obstacles, at Knight Frank Malaysia headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
Bold, brave and fearless, The Other Side of Obstacles serves as both an intimate personal history and a reflection on four decades in real estate. The memoir is Sarky’s personal undertaking aimed at inspiring a new generation of leaders and entrepreneurs, as well as individuals facing their own struggles in entering and also in relaunching their careers in the rapidly changing world.
The book chronicles Sarky’s deeply unconventional path from his early days of scoring a near-failing Aggregate 38 in his SPM examinations, to ultimately becoming the Group Executive Chairman of Knight Frank Malaysia. It highlights how he forged his resilience in the fires of adversity by scrubbing hospital floors and driving a taxi in Melbourne to fund his education at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia. The memoir also details his pivotal career stint at the Valuer General’s Office (VGO) of Victoria, a formative period where he balanced night classes with full-time work and gained the technical edge that would define his professional foundation before returning to Malaysia.
“The Other Side of Obstacles is not a corporate success story,” said Sarky at the launch. “It is a candid recollection of accidental leadership, the daunting pivot from technical valuer to high-stakes estate agency professionalism and the counter-intuitive philosophy of elevating Knight Frank Malaysia into a market leader.”
Structured into four distinct parts comprising 26 chapters and a photo gallery, the book captures his formative years, his crossroads at university, his entry into the professional world and his time at Knight Frank Malaysia.
Adding prestige to the celebratory milestone, the launch was graced by Datuk Seri Dr Michael Yam, Past President and Patron of REHDA, who also penned the foreword of Sarky’s memoir. More than 100 guests were at the launch event, including university students, lecturers, Knight Frank Malaysia’s partners, colleagues, friends and Sarky’s family.
The Other Side of Obstacles is available for purchase online at sarkunan.com, priced at RM50.00 with an RM10.00 delivery fee within Malaysia. More information about the book is available at sarkunan.com.
About the author, Sarky
With four decades of real estate experience, Sarkunan Subramaniam – fondly known as ‘Sarky’ – has become one of Malaysia’s most respected and influential real estate professionals. A Registered Estate Agent since 1986, Sarky began his career in valuations and research, conducting corporate and litigation-based valuations, and advising on development feasibility across a range of asset classes. His technical proficiency and integrity laid the foundation for a career marked by innovation, leadership, and systemic impact on the real estate profession.
