#1 Robert Kuok
| Net Worth | $12.4 Billion | Source of Wealth | diversified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 88 | Marital Status | Married, 8 Children |
Made his money in sugar, palm oil, shipping and property. His Kuok Group is organized under 3 main holding companies in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Biggest -holding is in palm oil giant Wilmar International, run by nephew Kuok Khoon Hong, a Singapore citizen and also a billionaire.
- Last year delisted Allgreen Properties in -Singapore and Jerneh Asia in Malaysia by buying back all shares
#2 Ananda Krishnan
| Net Worth | $9.9 Billion | Source of Wealth | telecom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 73 | Marital Status | Married, 3 Children |
He's shopping around his entire power portfolio in Malaysia, South Asia and the Middle East in a deal that could raise $2 billion. His Maxis Communications, the country's biggest cellphone service provider, recently inked a 10-year deal to share its 3G network with rival UMobile. India is investigating an allegation that he used his links with Indian billionaire Kalanithi Maran, his partner in radio and direct-to-home TV, for Maxis to unfairly acquire most of mobile firm Aircel when Maran's brother was India's telecom minister. Maxis denies any wrongdoing.
- Graduated from Harvard Business School
- Got start as an oil trader
#3 Lee Kim Hua & family
| Net Worth | $6.5 Billion | Source of Wealth | casinos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 81 | Marital Status | Widow, 6 Children |
Widow of Genting Group founder Lim Goh Tong. Son Lim Kok Thay ranks No. 16.
#4 Lee Shin Cheng
| Net Worth | $5.2 Billion | Source of Wealth | palm oil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 72 | Marital Status | Married, 6 Children |
His IOI Group is a palm oil and -property development giant. Owns refineries in the U.S. and the Netherlands. Recently won a $322 million bid for a 6-acre plot in downtown Singapore where it plans to build a residential project. Failed to win certification from the palm oil environmental group IOI helped set up, causing Nestlé to temporarily stop buying from it.
#5 Teh Hong Piow
| Net Worth | $5 Billion | Source of Wealth | banking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 81 | Marital Status | Married, 4 Children |
Founder of Public Bank, the country's third-largest banking group; at the helm for 45 years. Group is expanding to Hong Kong, China and Cambodia.
- Avid photographer
- Supports Malaysian Paralympic Council, which oversees sports events for the disabled
#6 Quek Leng Chan
| Net Worth | $4.2 Billion | Source of Wealth | diversified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 68 | Marital Status | Married, 3 Children |
Heads conglomerate Hong Leong Financial Group and shares control with Singaporean cousin Kwek Leng Beng and Kwek's family. Upped stake in European gambling company Rank Group last May, triggering a tender offer. Inherited fortune from his father, one of 3 brothers who started a banking group in the 1920s.
#7 Syed Mokhtar AlBukhary
| Net Worth | $3.3 Billion | Source of Wealth | diversified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 60 | Marital Status | Married, 5 Children |
Onetime rice trader goes on an expansion binge, with his DRB-Hicom -buying a 43% stake in state-owned carmaker Proton for $422 million and 32% of postal company Pos Malaysia for $196 million. Telecom arm Puncak Semangat was among 9 companies to win a 4G spectrum allocation in December. Next target is rail operator KTM. Flurry of deals sent DRB-Hicom shares up 42%, helping to boost his fortune by $800 million.
- Supports the AlBukhary International University and the Islamic Arts Museum in Kuala Lumpur
#8 Yeoh Tiong Lay
| Net Worth | $2.6 Billion | Source of Wealth | diversified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 82 | Marital Status | Married, 5 Children |
Conglomerate he founded, YTL Corp., owns PowerSeraya, Singapore's second-largest power generator, and Starhill Global REIT, which owns retail properties in Malaysia and Singapore. His 57-year-old son, Francis, runs the show.
#9 Tiong Hiew King
| Net Worth | $1.5 Billion | Source of Wealth | timber/palm oil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 77 | Marital Status | Married, 4 Children |
Tapped rubber as a teenager, now runs global empire of 5 listed and many private companies in forestry, palm oil, media, technology, property and hospitality. Last year finalized $1.7 billion sale of his stake in Eon Capital to No. 6 Quek Leng Chan's Hong Leong Bank.
- Knighted by the Queen of England
- Past president of the World Chinese Language Press Institute
#10 Vincent Tan
| Net Worth | $1.2 Billion | Source of Wealth | diversified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 59 | Marital Status | Married, 11 Children |
Stepped down last month as chairman of Berjaya Group, which he founded in 1984 and controls. Son Robin, who's the chief executive, added interim chairman to his duties. Group boasts interests in property, gaming, retail, telecom and media. Operates Wendy's, Starbucks and Krispy Kreme franchises. Also owns local 7-Eleven convenience stores. Worked as bank clerk, then insurance agent, but career took off when he brought the first McDonald's restaurant to Malaysia at age 29.
- Pledged to donate half of wealth during his lifetime, and on his 60th birthday Feb. 25, he said he would give $200 million to the Better Malaysia Foundation, which he founded.
#11 Lee Oi Hian & Lee Hau Hian
| Net Worth | $1.1 Billion | Source of Wealth | diversified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 61 / 58 | Marital Status | Married, 4 Children / Married, 1 Child |
Brothers' fortune climbed 22% as stock in their Batu Kawan, a holding company for palm oil and chemical interests, rose on higher palm oil prices. Younger Lee is managing director, older Lee nonexecutive chairman of the group and chief executive of listed plantation subsidiary, Kuala Lumpur Kepong, which owns personal care products maker Crabtree & Evelyn.
#12 Azman Hashim
| Net Worth | $900 Million | Source of Wealth | finance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 72 | Marital Status | Married, 5 Children |
Heads AmBank Group, Malaysia's fifth-largest bank by assets. Also holds stake in investment bank ECM Libra, which bought stakes in property developer Eastern & Oriental last year.
- Chairs Malaysian Investment -Banking Association
- Daughter best known as "Mizz Nina" is Malaysian pop star
#13 Shahril & Shahriman Shamsuddin
| Net Worth | $845 Million | Source of Wealth | oil & gas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 51 / 43 | Marital Status | Married / Married |
Brothers head Sapura Group, whose oil-and-gas arm is close to wrapping up $3.7 billion merger.
#14 Mokhzani Mahathir
| Net Worth | $685 Million | Source of Wealth | oil & gas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 51 | Marital Status | Married, 5 Children |
Son of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is executive chairman of petroleum company Kencana, which is merging with No. 13 Shahril and Shahriman Shamsuddin's SapuraCrest Petroleum. Sapura Kencana Petroleum will be Malaysia's largest oil-and-gas service provider.
- Race car driver, he's chairman of Sepang International Circuit, home to the Malaysian Grand Prix.
#15 Anthony Fernandes
| Net Worth | $615 Million | Source of Wealth | airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 47 | Marital Status | Married, 2 Children |
Flamboyant businessman took over AirAsia in 2001 with partner, No. 19 Kamarudin Meranun. The 2 built it into the region's largest budget airline. Launched long-haul AirAsia X in 2007. Also boasts hotel, mobile phone, insurance and education businesses. Fernandes owns a Formula 1 racing team and last year bought British sports car manufacturer Caterham and soccer club Queens Park Rangers.
#16 Lim Kok Thay
| Net Worth | $605 Million | Source of Wealth | casinos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 60 | Marital Status | Married, 3 Children |
Son of late Lim Goh Tong, has run Genting Group since 2003. Mother, Lee Kim Hua, is No. 3.
#17 Chen Lip Keong
| Net Worth | $600 Million | Source of Wealth | casinos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 64 | Marital Status | Married, 3 Children |
Expanding his NagaWorld complex—already the biggest casino in Cambodia—with a $370 million project, adding a glass-enclosed city walk and tourist garden. His company, Naga-Corp, which holds monopoly on gambling in Phnom Penh, listed in Hong Kong in 2006. First-half net profits last year more than doubled; he says full-year net profits will be substantially higher.
- Trained as a medical doctor before turning to property development
#18 Jeffrey Cheah
| Net Worth | $580 Million | Source of Wealth | real estate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 66. | Marital Status | Married, 3 Children |
Founder and chairman of Sunway Group, with interests in construction, real estate, health care and education in 14 countries. In December it bought lease for 691 acres for development in Medini Iskandar, Johor for $238 million with sovereign fund Khazanah Nasional. Wife, Susan, is on Sunway Bhd.'s executive committee; daughter, Sarena, is in management and on the board; and son Evan is CEO of the China business. Jeffrey got his start as an accountant for an auto assembly plant, then started a tin-mining company.
- Recently appointed by the Malaysian government to review the nation's education system
#19 Kamarudin Meranun
| Net Worth | $560 Million | Source of Wealth | airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 50 | Marital Status | Married, 5 Children |
The less-well-known half of the duo behind AirAsia, the other being No. 15 Tony Fernandes. The 2 now own 20% of Malaysia Airlines after a share swap with Khazanah Nasional, which leaves that company owning 10% of AirAsia.
#20 William H. J. Cheng
| Net Worth | $520 Million | Source of Wealth | retail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 69 | Marital Status | Married, 3 Children |
Chairs Parkson Holdings, where he is the largest shareholder. Company has more than 100 department stores in Malaysia, China, Vietnam and Indonesia. Plans to expand further in Southeast Asia. It's part of his Lion Group, which also has interests in steelmaking, plantations and property.
