RH Group founder’s health in question after stroke rumours

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Tiong Hiew King

SIBU: The health of Malaysian tycoon Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King has been a concern after he was rumoured to have been hospitalised in Singapore for a stroke.

Attempts to contact his brothers Datuk Thai King, who is also the chairman of Sibu Municipal Council and Dudong Assemblyman, and Kiong King, the chairman of Sarawak Zhang Clan Association, failed on Sunday, leaving townsfolk wondering about the news that had been circulating lately.

It is rumoured that Hiew King collapsed in his home on Thursday and was flown to a hospital in Singapore the next day.

New Straits Times quoted Thai King saying his brother was “okay”, but the council chairman failed to confirm or deny the rumours.

When asked on the veracity of the rumours, Thai King just said his brother was “okay”.

Hiew King is the founder and executive chairman of the Rimbunan Hijau Group (RH) and also Media Chinese International Limited Group (MCIL) executive chairman.

From being a rubber taper in his younger days, he grew RH from a small timber company to a major conglomerate.

He was named one of the Forbes’ Malaysia’s Richest Tycoon in 2014.

Born in 1935, the company was set up by him 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.

RH is also involved in mining, aquaculture, information technology, tourism, trading and property development and 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 the US.

He also has investments in Qinzhou, Shanghai, Harbin and Guangzhou in China.