Money Talks – it’s not everything, but everything is money

According to Forbes Asia, the 40 richest Malaysians in 2009 are as follows. The numbers in parentheses denotes their rank last year:

1.(1) Tan Sri Robert Kuok, 85, USD9 billion, down from USD10 billion last year. He has perennially topped the Malaysian rich list.

2.(2) Tan Sri Ananda Krishnan, 71, USD7 billion, down from USD7.2 billion last year. He is the perennial no.2 behind Kuok. Together with Kuok, they are the richest people in South East Asia and account for 44% of the total wealth of Malaysia’a 40 richest.

3.(3) Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng, 70, USD3.2 billion, of IOI group, who runs the biggest palm oil plantation in the world. His wealth was USD5.5 billion last year.

4.(5) Lee Kim Hua, 80, USD2.5 billion. She is the widow of Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong of Genting Bhd, who died in 2007. Her son Lim Kok Thay (No. 14) now heads Genting.

5.(4) Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow, 79 USD2.4 billion, the chairman of Public Bank Bhd.

6.(6) Quek Leng Chan, 68, USD2.3 billion. Head of Hong Leong Group.

7.(7) Yeoh Tiong Lay, 79, USD1.8 billion. Founder of YTL Corp, now run by his son Francis.

8.(8) Syed Mokhtar AlBukhary, 57, USD1.1 billion. Controls Malaysia Mining Corp. (MMC).

9.(10) Tiong Hiew King, 74, USD1 billion. Rimbunan Hijau: timber tycoon. That means Malaysia has 9 US dollar billionaires. The total wealth of the top 9 is USD30 billion, or 84% of the total wealth of the top 40.

10.(9) Vincent Tan, 57, USD750 million.

11.(11) Tan Sri Azman Hashim, 69, USD470 million.

12.(12) William H.J. Cheng, 66, USD390 million.

13.(26) G. Gnanalingam, 64, USD260 million.

14.(15) Lim Kok Thay, 57, USD225 million.

15.(19) Anthony Fernandes, 45, USD220 million.

16.(20) Mokhzani Mahathir, 48, USD215 million.

17.(17) Lee Oi Hian, 58, USD210 million.

18.(-) Chan Fong Ann, 78, USD209 million. A nonexecutive director at IOI group and one of its biggest individual shareholders at almost 3%.

19.(21) Kamarudin Meranun, 48, USD205 million. Cofounded Air Asia with Tony Fernandes.

20.(24) Chong Chook Yew, 87, USD200 million.

21.(-) Chen Lip Keong, 61, USD195 million. Built Cambodia’s largest gaming resort, NagaWorld.

22.(13) Lee Swee Eng, 53, USD190 million.

23.(22) Jeffrey Cheah, 64, USD185 million.

24.(27) Lim Wee Chai, 51, USD180 million. Inspiring story: with wife spent USD180K in savings in 1991 to start a business trading… rubber gloves. Later started manufacturing them. Now their company Top Glove is one of the world’s largest in its specialty; apparently 24% global market share.

25.(34) Ahmayuddin Ahmad, 52, USD175 million.

26.(23) Lee Hau Hian, 55, USD174 million.

27.(29) Lau Cho Kun, 73, USD165 million.

28.(16) Vinod Sekhar, 41, USD150 million.

29.(33) Liew Kee Sin, 50, USD140 million.

30.(32) Tiah Thee Kian, 61, USD135 million.

31.(-) Rozali Ismail, 53, USD130 million.

32.(36) Lin Yun Ling, 54, USD115 million.

33.(18) Yaw Teck Seng, 71, USD113 million.

34.(-) Goh Peng Ooi, 53, USD112 million, the richest IT guy, heads Silverlake Axis, a banking solutions provider, which he founded in 1989.

35.(35) Eleena Azlan Shah, 49, USD110 million. The largest individual shareholder in infrastructure firm Gamuda.

36.(31) David Law Tien Seng, USD105 million.

37.(-) Syed Mohd Yusof Tun Syed Nasir, 61, USD100 million.

38.(-) Hamdan Mohamad, 53, USD98 million. Controls Ranhill Bhd.

39.(-) Tan Teong Hean, 65, USD95 million.

40.(28) Kua Sian Kooi, 56, USD90 million. Executive chairman of insurance firm Kurnia Asia.

The total wealth of the top 40: USD36 bilion, down from USD46 bullion a year ago.

The following are those who were in the top 40 last year, but failed to make it this year (with last year’s wealth figure in parentheses):
Ong Beng Seng, 64 (USD470 m)
Yaw Chee Ming, 50 (USD240 m)
Abdul Hamed Sepawi, 59 (USD180 m)
Ong Leong Huat, 65 (USD130 m)
Lim Thian Kiat, 51 (USD115 m)
Khoo Kay Peng, 70 (USD110 m)
Nazir Razak, 42 (USD100 m)

Probably a lot of these people are involved in providing industrial supplies.

Source

Amazingly, it’s launched today, during the recession, with the head chef boasting “there are still many people willing to pay this much for a curry”

Place: Bombay Brasserie, London

Name of dish: The Samundari Khazana curry (Seafood Treasure)

Price: GBP2,000 (or RM11,500)

Tagline: “This curry is a real experience.”

Ingredients: Devon crab, white truffle, Beluga caviar, sea snails, a whole lobster, edible gold leaf.

How it is prepared:

Part 1: Devon crab mix with white truffle.

Part 2: Press a gold leaf to half a cherry tomato filled with Beluga caviar.

Part 3: Place 4 sea snails (abalone) into a sizzling pan.

Part 4: Coat Scottish lobster in gold

Part 5: Hollow out four shelled quails’ eggs and fill with Beluga caviar.

The fish and seafood is earlier marinated in chilli and tamarind paste, then slice truffle over the top to give it a nutty flavour.

Source
New Straits Times, 3 Jun 2009

… whoa, that will buy you a lot of colon cleansing!

In Malaysia, the Prime Minister earns more more than RM22,000 per month (basic salary).

Let’s compare the average salaries of an experienced graduate in Malaysia working with the private sector in the Klang Valley with heads of states or heads of the executive branch of government in other countries.

In cash-strapped Zimbabwe, it was recently reported that even president Robert Mugabe and prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai get a maximum of USD100 per month.

In the Philippines, the constitution stipulates that the president’s annual salary is USD7,084 (RM2,100 per month).

In Laos, the president’s salary is USD186.26 a month (about RM650).

In Vietnam, the president gets USD240 a month and the Prime Minister USD230.

In Bangladesh, the prime minister gets USD477 a month (RM1,700).

In Nepal, the prime minister earns USD343 a month (RM1,200).

Source
My Sinchew, May 2009

… should be enough to go for one of those Outer Banks rentals …

Not boys taking care of toy shops like Toys’R'Us, but the, well, other type.

I wonder why they didn’t use the word “gigolo” instead.

Apparently these are the new craze in Singapore nightclubs and target primarily rich and bored wives of rich husbands.

RM3,500 per evening seems to be the norm, while they charge RM350 per hour for spending supper with these women.

Free dinner at a swanky restaurant and RM700 for a 2-hour stint spent making smalltalk, anyone?

A Madam Wang, 42, was reportedly a self-confessed toy boy addict, yet understandably she does not want her hubby to know about her hobby.

As for why she does it, the excuse is the same since time immemorial: “He makes me feel young, something which my husband fails to do.”

So married guys, you know what to do to bring the spark back to your married life.

And as expected, these toy boys could also go a step further: sleep with the women.

A popular toy boy can earn reportedly about RM4,600 a night!!!

Source
The Star, 14th April 2009

… with that kind of money, these guys could, if they wanted to, participate in one of those gay travel programs …

From 16 to 19 June 2009, the High Net Worth Summit 2009 Kuala Lumpur will be held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

It is invitation only – and only those with assets worth USD30 million (RM100 million) or more, excluding the value of their main residence, are qualified to attend.

Some 2,000 such people from around the globe are expected to attend, half from Asia, and the others from Europe, North America, the Middle East, Russia and South Africa.

Their combined net worth is estimated to be at least USD40 billion (RM149 billion).

Has such a gathering under one roof ever been attempted here, or even anywhere?

The purpose of the event is to “provide a platform to network for the rich and famous, luxury brands and rich corporations to sign deals and buy luxury items.”

The first-of-its-kind event is organised by Iyecon Events Sdn Bhd and ECMI Sdn Bhd in partnership with Vistajet and Mandarin Oriental.

The masterminds are two lawyers — Malaysian Tan Wei Ming, 33 and Londoner Guy Holland.

Source
New Straits Times, 21 Mar 2009

… it seems all gatherings in Malaysia are done in hotels, I think it’s about time they’re done in rv parks for a change …

Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd (PNHB) Executive Chairman, Tan Sri Rozali Ismail (b. Dec 1957) gets paid RM5.1 million in director’s fee/salary, according to the 2007 Puncak Niaga Holdings Berhad annual report.

That works out to be RM425,000 per month, RM16,346 per day or RM35 per minute.

That is among the top 10 in Malaysia.

He is Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) chairman.

Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Suee Lim asked on 17th March 2009:

The company faced a critical economic crisis, RM2.9 billion in debt. Yet, what surprises us is that they could afford to pay the chairman such a high salary. Something is not right when a state government company chairman earned so much when the company was on the verge of bankruptcy.

He said Syabas last increased the water tariff in 2006 and could do so again next year with approval from the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry.

If this happens, then we will have to drink rain water or even petrol which is cheaper now.

According to Malaysian Business, he’s also the 33rd richest man in Malaysia.

Asked about his pay package, he said: “…If they want professionals to run the company, they will have to pay.”

Source

New Straits Times, 18 March 2009

… with that kind of pay package, new breeches for the stable should be no problems …

The Tata Nano is probably the world’s least expensive production car, at USD2,000.

The city car – rear-engined, 4-passenger car targets the Indian market was unveiled on 10th January 2008.

Tata Motors announced on 26th Feb 2009 that its commercial launch is on 23rd March 2009.

Other details:

Engine(s): 2 cylinder SOHC petrol Bosch multi-point fuel injection (single injector) all aluminium 623 cc (38 cu in)
Transmission(s): 4 speed synchromesh with overdrive in 4th
Wheelbase: 2,230 mm (87.8 in)
Length: 3100 mm (122 in)
Width: 1500 mm (59.1 in)
Height: 1600 mm (63 in)
Kerb weight: 580 kg (1,300 lb)-600 kg (1,300 lb)
Fuel capacity: 15 L (4 US gal; 3 imp gal)
Designer: Girish Wagh, Justin Norek, Pierre Castinel

… now, with all that money saved, one can now focus on getting the best weight loss pills money can buy …

According to the BBC’s report on 28th Jan 2009, the IMF reported that the world’s economic growth will fall to just 0.5% in 2009, the lowest rate since World War II.

In contrast, back in October 2008, the IMF had predicted 2.2%.

It now says that the United Kingdom’s economy will shrink by 2.8% in 2010.

That is the worst among all the advanced nations.

The eurozone economy is predicted to shrink by 2% and the US economy by 1.6%.

On the same day the International Labour Organization (ILO) said that up to 51 million people could be laid off in 2009 as a direct result of the current economic crisis which is gripping both developed and developing countries.

Other developed economies now in recession are Japan and Spain.

Even China is now struggling with the sudden lack of demand from their primary export markets.

Source
The BBC, 28 Jan 2009

… that’s it, no more expensive toys …

I already knew that the cheque was coming because they emailed me in advance, so it was not like the case with Advertlets, where I was thankful that they paid me at all.

Nuffnang in contrast paid right on time.

I could’ve cashed out earlier but I decided to reach RM200 before doing so.

So, to any doubters of the result of the “Nuffnang vs Advertlets” debate, I’d say with certainty, after having experienced both, that Nuffnang won hands down.

… now it’s just a matter of time before I can get one of those sleep number beds …

There was that one about USD207 million found in a drug dealer’s house in Mexico.

How about FIVE times as much cash?

Here’s what a billion US dollars in cash might look like.

Perhaps a good wallpaper choice for budding internet entrepreneurs

Click on the link below for full size, and drool…

Full size image.

… Mesothelioma cancer treatment cost? With those, no problems at all …