Kuok tops list of 40 richest Malaysians

SINGAPORE: The 40 wealthiest Malaysians are worth US$62.1 billion (RM188.3 billion), up by US$11.1 billion compared with last year, according to the latest rich list published by Forbes Asia.

In a statement today, Forbes Asia said the combined wealth was almost 22% more than the list in 2010.

“The better coffers come on the back of the country’s healthy economy which grew 7.2% last year, the highest rate since 2000,” it said.

The first two spots were still occupied by Robert Kuok Hock Nien and Ananda Krishnan, respectively.

Kuok, 87, has held the pole position since 2006 when Forbes Asia began ranking the 40 richest Malaysians.

He is worth US$12.5 billion, up by half a billion from last year.

His biggest source of wealth is his stake in Wilmar International, the world’s largest listed palm oil company.

Ananda, 72, is at No 2 with US$9.5 billion, up from US$8.1 billion last year.

His Maxis Communications Bhd is Malaysia’s biggest cellphone service provider.

Recently he took three of his companies private: satellite broadcaster Astro All Asia Networks plc, power and gambling company Tanjong plc, and satellite operator Measat Global Bhd.

At No 3 is this year’s biggest gainer in dollar terms, Lee Kim Hua.

The 81-year-old widow of casino magnate Lim Goh Tong, she is one of three women on the list this year.

Her Genting shares took off when the company’s Singapore operations on Sentosa Island opened, boosting the family’s net worth by US$2.7 billion to US$6.6 billion from a year ago.

Lee Shin Cheng, who built IOI Group into one of the world’s biggest palm oil producers, is down one spot at No 4 with a net worth of US$5 billion, up by US$400 million from last year.

Sole newcomer

AirAsia Bhd’s Tony Fernandes, budget airline pioneer and Forbes Asia’s 2010 Businessman of the Year, is ranked No 20 this year, down one spot from last year despite his wealth increasing to US$470 million from US$330 million last year.

The only newcomer this year is Chia Song Kun at No 24 with US$400 million.

The share price of his QL Resources Bhd, the seafood, egg production and palm oil company, has doubled since last year.

Tony Tiah Thee Kian at No 35 is the only returnee to the list after a year’s absence as stocks in his TA Enterprise Bhd has recovered. He is worth US$170 million.

Not all did well as there were three this year who saw their wealth reduced, led by Vincent Tan Chee Yioun at No 9.

The self-made entrepreneur, who runs Berjaya Group, saw his wealth declined to US$1.25 billion from US$1.6 billion last year.

Timber tycoon Tiong Hiew King was the only person who did not see any changes to his wealth. He is still worth US$1.2 billion and is ranked No 10 on the list.

This year, a minimum net worth of US$125 million was needed to qualify for the list, up from US$110 million last year. The number of billionaires on the list remains unchanged from last year at 10.

There are six octogenarians on the list this year.

The oldest, at 88, is widow Chong Chook Yew who comes in at No 29 with a wealth of US$300 million.

Stocks in her company, Selangor Properties Bhd, hit a three-year high in January this year on news of a possible mass transit development near one of the company’s landbanks.

This pushed her wealth up by US$70 million from last year.

The top 10 richest Malaysians are:

1. Robert Kuok Hock Nien (US$12.5 billion);
2. Ananda Krishnan (US$9.5 billion);
3. Puan Sri Lee Kim Hua (US$6.6 billion);
4. Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng (US$5 billion);
5. Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan (US$4.8 billion);
6. Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow (US$4.7 billion);
7. Tan Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay (US$2.7 billion);
8. Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar AlBukhary (US$2.5 billion);
9. Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun (US$1.25 billion); and,
10. Tan Sri Tiong Hew King (US$1.2 billion).

Peugeot milik Presiden Iran dibeli RM7.5 juta

KETUA Pertubuhan Kebajikan Iran, Ahmad Esfandyari (dua dari kanan) membuka pintu untuk Mohammad Isari (kanan) yang mewakili seorang pelanggannya yang membeli kereta Peugeot 504 milik Presiden Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad di Abadan kelmarin.

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TEHERAN - Sebuah kereta Peugeot 504 keluaran tahun 1977 milik Presiden Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dijual pada harga AS$2.5 juta (RM7.5 juta) dalam satu lelongan antarabangsa kelmarin, kata laman web Pertubuhan Kebajikan Iran.

Sebuah syarikat yang membeli kereta itu tidak mahu identitinya didedahkan, kata kenyataan pertubuhan berkenaan selepas lelongan tersebut berlangsung di bandar Abadan, barat daya Iran.

"Klien saya membeli kereta itu kerana meminati Mahmoud yang mengamalkan pendirian yang bencikan keangkuhan dan fahaman Zionisme," kata seorang peguam Mahmoud Esari.

Beliau mewakili syarikat berkenaan untuk membeli kereta itu dalam satu majlis lelongan di Abadan kelmarin.

Pengerusi Pertubuhan Kebajikan Iran, Ahmad Esfandyari memberitahu, lebih sejuta pembida mendaftar di laman web bidaan tersebut.

Katanya, terdapat juga bidaan-bidaan yang datang dari Eropah, Asia dan Amerika Syarikat.

Pada 1 Januari lalu, Mahmoud melancarkan laman web www.ahmadinejad-car.com untuk mengundang bidaan antarabangsa untuk kereta itu.

Hasil jualan kereta tersebut akan digunakan bagi membiayai pembinaan 6,000 kediaman untuk wanita miskin dan golongan tidak berkemampuan. - AFP

Gambar Aguilera ditahan kerana mabuk disiarkan

WAJAH Christina Aguilera tanpa mekap dirakamkan oleh polis Los Angeles kelmarin.

LOS ANGELES - Gambar wajah penyanyi terkenal, Christina Aguilera yang pucat dan bermata kuyu selepas ditangkap kerana mabuk di tempat awam tersebar di media, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Menurut jurucakap polis Los Angeles, Steve Whitmore, Aguilera ditahan pada pukul 2.45 pagi waktu tempatan pagi kelmarin kerana dikatakan 'tidak boleh menjaga dirinya sendiri' dan berada dalam sebuah kereta yang dipandu teman lelakinya, Matthew Rutler yang memandu di bawah pengaruh alkohol.

Gambar itu disiarkan di media Amerika Syarikat selepas mereka mendakwa rakan-rakan Aguilera memintanya menjalani pusat pemulihan.

"Masalah ketagihan alkoholnya sudah tidak dapat dikawal. Dia berada dalam keadaan yang teruk," kata satu sumber Aguilera kepada Us Weekly.

Gambar tersebut disiarkan oleh laman web E! News selepas polis mendapati dia memandu dalam keadaan berbahaya.

Whitmore menjelaskan bahawa Aguilera tidak akan dikenakan dakwaan.

Aguilera kemudian dibawa pulang dari balai polis West Hollywood pada pukul 7.20 pagi selepas dia dibebaskan. Dalam tempoh beberapa bulan kebelakangan ini, Aguilera terlibat dalam beberapa insiden melibatkan pengambilan alkohol berlebihan. - Agensi

Empat keping setem dibeli RM3.49 juta

EMPAT keping setem dibeli pada harga lebih RM3.49 juta dalam satu lelongan di Shanghai, China baru-baru ini.

SHANGHAI, China - Seorang pengumpul setem mencipta rekod apabila dia membayar AS$1.15 juta (RM3.49 juta) untuk empat keping setem yang dikeluarkan ketika era Revolusi Budaya di China pada 1960-an, kata pihak penganjur satu majlis lelongan semalam.

Setem-setem itu yang tidak pernah digunakan memaparkan beberapa inskripsi yang ditulis oleh bekas pemimpin China, Mao Zedong kepada rakan-rakan pekerjanya dari Jepun.

Set setem tersebut dibeli oleh seorang pengumpul dari Hong Kong dalam satu acara lelongan.

Acara itu juga turut melelong setem-setem sebelum dan selepas revolusi di China dan juga yang dikeluarkan di Taiwan. - Agensi