Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong passed away a few days ago and will be remembered as one of the entrepreneur greats in Malaysia. One of the earliest entrepreneurial stories I learned during the academic years was the Boon Siew’s story which was then part of the Form 2′s Kemahiran Hidup curriculum (and I believe it is still is today). Like Boon Siew, Lim Goh Tong was also an immigrant who came to Malaya with less than 150 US dollar (RM525) and eventually became one of the richest men in the country.
In fact, Boon Siew was one of Goh Tong’s business associates when the latter was making his way building Genting. It was Boon Siew’s palm station that supplied the petrol to Lim Goh Tong’s vehicles to climb the hill. During this time Boon Siew was at the peak of his career.
I remember many years ago passing the MPH shop in Gurney Plaza, Penang and saw the Goh Tong’s My Story book (actually it was written by a ghost writer as Goh Tong did not speak and write English) displayed on the main shelf. It took me less than 5 seconds to decide to buy the book. I was yet to land my first job by then and I did not have much money left but it did not deter me to spend the RM28 to buy the book. I can’t remember how many times I have finished reading the book; in fact at the very moment it is sitting there at my desk.
We, as the young Malaysia generation, have a lot to learn from sheer courage and perseverance shown by this man to face daunting challenges and at times, challenges we never even think as possible. Lack of education and experience should not stop us, or worse, become an excuse for us not to aim for the stars. When we achieve freedom, the sweetest part will come where we would be sharing our tales and hardship with our loved ones for them to ponder. We will leave a legacy for generations to come.
A couple of years ago, me and my former boss were having a chat about those people who started with zero and ended up multimillionaires and changed the world. We talked about Steve Jobs, Tony Fernandes, Lim Goh Tong, Syed Mokhtar Bukhary and so on. In summary, these group of people have undergone another level of events, challenges, adversities which surpassed our normal thinking pattern and are beyond our imagination. The combination of determination, hard work, perseverance, bravery and luck eventually make them to become exemplary figures.
Can we create our own imagination, live with it and make it happen?
Can you do it?
We are our own limitation.
what we can say here, success is everywhere. as long as there an effort, ready and eager to learn.
Came across this book earlier few years back, but have not came to known what is inside. Perhaps shall check it out to get some piece of mind from what most tycoons has came across.
Surfnux –> I suggest you grab the book. Lessons learned will not be comparable to the RM28 (USD8) investment.
Zuhairy–> How right!
u have a nice website. is your business lucrative? i can’t hardly break even from blogging. anyway, here’s my take on lim goh tong:
http://sophiesworld-sophiesworld.blogspot.com/2007/10/rip-lim-goh-tong.html
cheers
Zul, this is a great piece of work, kudos!
When I was a kiddo, my grandpa always tell me some stories of these legendary entrepreneurs in our country, and somehow I really hated to listen to them, because for me the “Journey to the West” by my uncle was more attractive.
Now look back, these stories are worth to read with stronger value because it is so close to our life, he is the lagend of our country.
I wonder: how many youngsters out there still remember these stories? Rather than their wealth?
Asking permission to borrow this post for my1stpath.com
You just can’t stop reading autobiographies, can you?
. How many have you read already? I lost count
You’re right, I cannot. I will suffer from the lose of endorphins if I stop reading.
In fact, I just bought one a few hours ago. Will share it with the readers soon.
Pingback: Lim Goh Tong | Profile & History, Biodata Lim Goh Tong | SKORCAREER.COM
he is a great man who came fron fujian,china only bring rm175,and work as contractor daily jOb rm0.80sen….from the empty mountain he can turn it become Genting Highlands Resort was voted the World’s Leading Casino Resort (2005, 2007 and 2008) and Asia’s Leading Casino Resort from 2005 to 2008 by World Travel Awards. with world class facilities…today Genting highlands – The City of Entertainment, the resort offers six hotels with 10,000 rooms, over 50 fun rides, 170 dining and shopping outlets, mega shows, business convention facilities and endless entertainment – all at one location.
The six hotels at Genting Highlands Resort are Genting Hotel, Highlands Hotel, Theme Park Hotel, Resort Hotel, Awana Genting Highlands, Golf & Country Resort and First World Hotel – the world’s largest hotel with 6,118 rooms as acknowledged by the Guinness World Records and Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
He company The Genting Group is Malaysia’s leading multinational corporation and one of Asia’s best-managed companies. The Group has over 27,000 employees, 11,000 acres of prime resort land and more than 80,000 hectares of plantation land.
The Genting Group is the collective name for Genting Berhad and its subsidiaries, which comprise the following three listed entities, with a combined market capitalisation of about RM49.5 billion (US$13.9 billion). (* on 30 April 2009).today The Genting Group is the collective name for Genting and its subsidiaries that comprises three listed subsidiaries, namely Resorts World Bhd and Asiatic Development Berhad (both listed on Bursa Malaysia) and Genting International Plc (listed on the Singapore Exchange).
Resorts World undertook an equity investment in Star Cruises Limited third largest cruise company in the world, the leading cruise operator in the Asia Pacific. Resorts World currently owns about 19.3% of Star Cruises. Resorts World owns and operates two beautiful seaside properties called Awana Kijal Golf, Beach & Spa Resort in Terengganu (on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia) and Awana Porto Malai in Langkawi (off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia).He was once the 3rd richest man in Malaysia with a net worth estimated to be 4.2 billion USD, making him the 204th richest person in the billionaire list compiled by Forbes.he is rich but he helped many people donate to people and goverment…he is really a great man!!
Pingback: Highest Paid CEOs in Malaysia - SKORCAREER —