SIBU: The condition of tycoon Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King, who was admitted to a hospital in Singapore for stroke, is now stable.
In a press statement, Tiong Ik King, who is Hiew King’s younger brother and executive director of Media Chinese International Limited Group (MCIL), said the doctors treating Hiew King were satisfied with his condition, and Hiew King was recovering.
Ik King thanked members of the public for their concern, saying the family had received many enquiries on his brother’s condition.
He said: “Hiew King had been hospitalised in Singapore to receive medical treatment after he fell sick last week. After a few days, his condition has become stable and he is recovering.”
He said the doctors advised that Hiew King needed rest and should not be disturbed.
Since Tuesday night, townsfolk here were confused after rumours of Hiew King’s passing in a Singapore hospital spread.
As Hiew King’s family had kept silent over the matter, tension built in Sibu – Hiew King’s hometown.
Ik King finally broke the silence yesterday to calm the public.
Hiew King collapsed in his home last Thursday and was flown to a hospital in Singapore the next day.
He is the founder and executive chairman of Rimbunan Hijau Group and also Media Chinese International Limited Group (MCIL) executive chairman.
From being a rubber taper in his younger days, Hiew King grew Rimbunan Hijau from a small timber company into a major conglomerate.
Forbes named him one of Malaysia’s richest tycoons in 2014.
Born in 1935, he set up Rimbunan Hijau Group when he was 40.
He turned his business venture into an Asian conglomerate with businesses spanning timber exports and processing, media and publishing, oil palm plantations and mills, and oil and gas.
Rimbunan Hijau is also involved in mining, aquaculture, information technology, tourism, trading and property development.
Rimbunan Hijau today controls hundreds of listed and non-listed subsidiaries.
His sprawling business empire spans six continents with operations in Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and the Solomon Islands.
Outside Asia, the group has businesses in Australia, Russia, Congo, Brazil, Canada and US.
He has investments in Qinzhou, Shanghai, Harbin and Guangzhou in China.