Lim Goh Tong facts for kids

Lim Goh Tong (Chinese: 林梧桐; pinyin: Lín Wútóng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Ngô͘-tông; 28 February 1918 – 23 October 2007) was a very successful businessman from Malaysia. He was famous for turning a wild hilltop called Genting Highlands into one of the world's most popular casino resorts. He was once the richest person in Malaysia.

Early Life and New Beginnings

Lim Goh Tong was born in 1918 in a mountain area of Fujian province, China. He was the fifth of seven children. Life in his village was peaceful, and he went to school. However, when he was 16, his father passed away. Lim had to leave school to help his older brother support their family.

As things in China became difficult, Lim Goh Tong decided to move to Malaysia (which was called Malaya back then). He left China in 1937 when he was 19. For two years, he worked for his uncle as a carpenter and learned the Malay language. After gaining experience, he became a building sub-contractor. His first big job was building a two-storey school.

Building a Business Empire

When the Japanese invaded Malaya in 1942, Lim faced many dangers. At first, he grew vegetables to make a living. Later, he started buying and selling scrap metal and hardware. After the Japanese occupation ended, there was a great need for heavy machines for mines and rubber farms. Lim saw this chance and started trading used machinery. This is how he made his first fortune.

From selling used machines, Lim also got into iron mining. He became a partner in a mining company. This was a successful step for him. Later, he helped start a company that used special machines called dredges to mine for tin. This was new for Chinese tin companies at the time.

Lim also used his money and machines to start a construction company called Kien Huat Private Limited. With help from his uncles, Kien Huat became a top construction company. They built important projects like the Ayer Itam Dam and the Kemubu Irrigation Scheme.

Creating Genting Resort

The idea for a mountain resort came to Lim Goh Tong while he was visiting Cameron Highlands. He enjoyed the cool air and thought that as people in Malaysia became richer, they would want to visit mountain resorts. But Cameron Highlands was too far from Kuala Lumpur, the capital city. He realized a resort closer to Kuala Lumpur would be a great business idea.

The Genting Highlands Theme Park

Lim found a suitable mountain called Gunung Ulu Kali near Genting Sempah. He explored the area to gather information about the land. Many people doubted his plan, thinking it was too risky to build a resort in the wilderness. But Lim ignored them and went ahead with his dream.

Building the resort was a huge challenge. He had to build a road to the hilltop, and get water and electricity supplies. Lim managed to build the access road in just three years, even though it was expected to take fifteen! He found water sources on the mountain and built systems to collect and filter it. Electricity came from 12 large generators.

During the construction, Lim faced many dangers and nearly died six times. He also had to manage another big project in Kelantan at the same time. This meant he worked seven days a week, traveling between Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan.

Lim invested all his money into the Genting project. He even sold a large rubber estate to raise funds. His friends refused to invest and told him to give up, but he kept going.

Genting was given the only casino license after Tunku Abdul Rahman, who was then the Prime Minister of Malaysia, visited the site. He praised Lim's efforts to boost Malaysia's tourism without government help. Lim also convinced the government to give Genting Highlands special tax benefits, even though resorts usually didn't qualify.

The entire Genting project was finished in January 1971. However, just before it opened, heavy rainstorms caused many landslides, closing the road for four months. Genting finally opened its doors on 8 May 1971.

Over the next 30 years, Lim continued to expand Genting Highlands. He built more hotels, indoor and outdoor theme parks, and a convention center. A new road was built to make it easier for visitors from northern states to reach Genting. A cable car system was also built, costing RM928 million, to offer another way for visitors to get to the resort.

In 1993, a town was developed near the cable car station. It was named Gohtong Jaya, after Lim, to honor his hard work in creating Genting Highlands.

Today, Genting Highlands is one of the most successful casino resorts in the world and a major tourist spot in Malaysia. Lim's company, Genting Group, now also works in other areas like plantations, property, and cruise ships.

On 31 December 2003, Lim handed over his role as chairman of Genting Group to his son, Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay.

Personal Life

Lim Goh Tong married Lee Kim Hua in 1944. They had six children and nineteen grandchildren. Their children are Lim Siew Lay, Siew Lian, Siew Kim, Tee Keong, Kok Thay, and Chee Wah.

Throughout his life, Lim faced some health problems, including a tumor and heart issues. He recovered after several surgeries.

Lim wrote his life story in a book called "My Story – Lim Goh Tong," published in 2004. In the book, he shared how he started with nothing and built a world-class resort through hard work and determination.

Ten years after Lim Goh Tong passed away, his wife, Lee Kim Hua, died on 25 August 2017, at the age of 88.

Achievements and Awards

Lim Goh Tong and his company, Genting Group, received many awards for his business skills and contributions. Some of these include:

• Malaysian Entrepreneurs Award 1985
• Manager of the Year Award 1986
• Business Achiever of the Year Award 1994
• Number 1 ranking of 10 Malaysian Leading Companies 1999
• The Best Employer Award 1996

In 1978, Lim Goh Tong started Yayasan Lim, a family foundation. This foundation regularly gives money to schools, hospitals, homes for the elderly, and other charities.

Honors

•  Malaysia :
  • Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (1979)
•  Selangor :
  • Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (DPMS) – Dato' (1980)
•  Pahang :
  • Grand Knight of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (SIMP) – formerly Dato', now Dato' Indera (1987)
•  Perak :
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Perak State Crown (SPMP) – Dato' Seri (1989)

Passing and Legacy

Statue of Lim Goh Tong at Chin Swee Caves Temple

Lim Goh Tong passed away on 23 October 2007, at Subang Jaya Medical Centre in Subang Jaya. He was buried at Gohtong Memorial Park in Gohtong Jaya on 29 October 2007.

Many people, including important leaders, famous individuals, and friends, paid their respects to Lim Goh Tong. More than 20,000 people attended his wake, sent flowers, or wrote messages of sympathy.

Among those who honored Lim were:

• Tengku Puan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Iskandar
• Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, wife of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
• Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia
• Tun Musa Hitam, former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
• Dato' Seri Ong Ka Ting, Minister of Housing and Local Government of Malaysia & President of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA)
• Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar and wife Toh Puan Hamidah Abdul Hamid, former Inspector-General of Police (Malaysia) & Deputy Chairman of Genting Group and Resorts World Bhd
• Tan Sri Dr. Saleha Mohd Ali, sister-in-law of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
• Tan Sri Dato' Seri Yeoh Tiong Lay and wife Puan Sri Tan Kai Yong, Group Chairman of YTL Corporation
• Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, daughter of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
• Dato' Indera Nazir Razak, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CIMB Group
• Puan Sri Christine Khir Johari
• Vincent Cheng, Chairman of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC)
• Irene Dorner, CEO of HSBC Bank Malaysia
• Michael Thomas, Chairman of Foxwoods Resort Casino Tribal

Over 1000 wreaths were sent from all over the world. Companies like Las Vegas Caesars Palace and the Government of Fujian province (where Lim was born) sent their condolences. Li Ka Shing, a very rich businessman, sent a personal note, saying that Genting's success was truly Lim Goh Tong's story.

Remembering Lim Goh Tong

Many people spoke highly of Lim Goh Tong:

• Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said in 1990 that Genting's success was "quite unprecedented."
• In Lim's autobiography, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad wrote that Lim's "ingenuity, single-mindedness and dauntless courage" helped him rise from humble beginnings to great achievements.
• Michael Thomas, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, said that before Lim, they only knew poverty. He added that it was Lim's faith and trust that helped them succeed.
• Dr Tan Tat Chin, a hospital board member, said Lim was a good man who understood the need to give back to society.
• Tan Sri Dr Ng Lay Swee, a university president, called Lim "a source of inspiration" and said he would "continue to live in the heart of those who have been touched by him."

See also

• Genting Highlands
• Genting Group
• List of billionaires