Tiong Hiew King
SIBU: Malaysian tycoon Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King, who was admitted to a hospital in Singapore for stroke, is now in stable condition.
A press statement released by Hiew King’s younger brother, Ik King, executive director of Media Chinese International Limited Group (MCIL), said that Hiew King’s doctors were satisfied with his condition.
Ik King thanked public members for their concern, saying that the family had received many inquiries on his brother’s condition.
“Hiew King was 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 Hiew King to get some much-needed rest, and should be left undisturbed.
Since last night, townsfolk here were left confused after rumours spread that Hiew King passed away in a Singapore Hospital.
There was some tension in his hometown of Sibu because his family kept the matter under wrap, until today, when Ik King broke the silence to calm the public.
Hiew King collapsed in his home last Thursday and was flown to a hospital in Singapore the next day.
Born in 1935, he was named one of the Forbes’ Malaysia’s Richest Tycoon in 2014.
He is the founder and executive chairman of the Rimbunan Hijau Group, and the Media Chinese International Limited Group (MCIL) executive chairman.
Hiew King, who was a rubber tapper in his younger days, set up Rimbunan Hijau when he was 40 and saw it grow from a small timber company to a major conglomerate.
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. Today, it 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.