Lim Goh Tong (My Story)
I am what many call a traditional Chinese entrepreneur, or more plainly, a Chinaman businessman. I don’t speak English. I communicate in my native dialect, Hokkien, [and] in Malay, Cantonese and Mandarin, which I picked up here after coming from China. When necessary, I also get someone to be my interpreter. Despite my apparent language inadequacies, communication seems to be the least problems in my dealings with others. Perhaps certain traits of mine help. (Preface)
I believe the most valuable asset of a company is its people. At Genting, we are fortunate to have a pool of dedicated, hardworking employees, many of whom have been with the company since its inception decades ago. (Preface)
The preface is unpaginated.
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I was born in 1918 in Anxi, a mountainous region in southeastern Fujian province, China. (p. 1)
My forefathers originated from Penglai, Fujian. At an early time, they migrated to Anxi and settled down there. By the time of my father, they had been living there for 14 generations. (p. 1)
Father’s business: dealing in vegetable seeds, rabbits and other items (p. 3)
I miss both of them deeply, especially my mother. Her words, her loving gaze, still live vividly in my mind. Those who know me well know that I have a picture of her in my office and my bedroom. (p. 3-4)
My parents’ teachings and exhortations wer the best education that I have had. If had achieved anything in my life, I would like to dedicate it to my parents. Without their earnest teachings and devotion to my upbringing, I don’t think I would be what I am today. (p. 5)
parason tree (p. 5) - auspicious tree
fifth child in my family (p. 6)
My father passed away when I was 16 (p. 7)
With the breadwinner of the family gone, I was forced to leave school.
I took over his petty trading business.
On my first day of business in Yongchun, I failed to make even a single sale.
In 1937, I set off for Malaya with a small suitcase and 175 dollars — 100 from my mother, and 75 from my own savings. I was twenty years old then. (p. 9)
I left China through Xiamen in early 1937. After sailing the South China Sea for eaight days, I landed in Singapore. There was not much money left in my pocket; the voyage alone had cost me 120 dollars. I stayed for two days with my eldest sister before leaving for Kuala Lumpur by train. In Kuala Lumpur, I worked for my fourth uncle as a carpenter. I was paid on a daily-wage basis, earning 80 cents a day. (p. 10)
As a newcomer to the country, I found my inability to speak the vernacular a major handicap. I realized that to succeed in Malaya, I had to know the Malay language. So I learnt i earenstly and picked it up quickly. (p. 11)
On 29 November 1940, I left for Xiamen by sea via Singapore and continued my journey home by way of Tong’an. After resting for a week, I returned to my old job as a carpenter. (p. 11-12)
In a rapidly deteriorating war environment, I was forced to take a hard look at the situation and make a fast, but the greatest decision of my life: to return to Malaya. (p. 12)
Several days after I had left Anxi, the Japanese tightened their grip on China by imposing restrictions on travel in and out of Fujian province. If I had hesitated about leaving, I would have missed the last ship departing Xiamen before the travel restrictions came into effect and very likely ended up permanently rooted in China. If that had happened, my life history would certainly have been very different. (p. 12)
One morning at the end of July 1941, my mother saw me off at the quay with tears brimming in her eyes. I clasped her hand, gazed at her with equally tearful eyes and said goodbye in a voice choking with the pain of parting. (p. 13)
To my deepest regret, the goodbye I bade my mother at the quayside was to be our last, About four years later, she passed away. I did not even have the chance to see her for the last time. How cruel could fate be. (p. 14)
During the early part of the Japanese Occupation, I earned a living as a vegetable farmer. Life was tough and clearly leading nowhere. After eight months, I decided to switch to petty trading. I started by selling tea leaves, Tiger Balm and other goods in and around Kuala Lumpur. Every morning, I would set off on my goods-laden bicycle, going from one village to another, shouting my wares along the way. It was not exactly a lucrative business, but at least it was better than growing vegetables. (p. 21)
My idea of developing a mountain resort was not the result of an active search for business opportunities. In fact, it just popped up in my mind quite fortuitously one night in 1963. That night, I had dinner in Cameron Highlands. After a few rounds of liqour, I felt hot and went out for some fresh air. (p. 73-74)
As I stood there taking in the enchaning highland night view, a cool breeze blew over me. It was so soothing and refreshing that I just closed my eyes and took a deep breath to savour the salubrious mountain air. Then a train of thought ran through my mind. (p. 74)
Thought: In tropical Malaysia, everybody likes to retreat to a cool mountain resort for a holiday every now and then. This could be seen from the popularity of Cameron Highlands with the local as well as foreign tourists. But Cameron Highlands was a good four or five hours’ drive from Kuala Lumpur and the road uphill were narrow and winding. It would be ideal if there was a mountain resort within one or two hours’ drive from Kuala Lumpur. (p. 74)
I was also convinced that as the standard of living rose steadily in a fast developing Malaysia, more and more people would visit mountain resorts for relaxation and recreation.
So why not develop a mountain resort at the doorstep of Kuala Lumpur? The idea made me quiver with excitement. But where? (p. 74)
Guning Ulu Kali at Genting Sempah (p. 75)
On 28 April 1969, I submitted my application for a casino licence to the government through the Tunku’s secretary, Datuk Nik Hassan. Later that afternoon, it was approved, and I was asked to collect the approval letter. (p. 87)
Tun Dr Ismail, the Home Minister supported the idea of having a casino on Genting Highlands on grounds that a legal casino would curb illegal gambling and hasten development of the country’s tourism industry.
27 November 2002 — Lim Kok Thay succeeds Lim Goh Tong as President & Chief Executive of Genting Berhad and Resorts World Berhad. (p. 178)
31 December 2003 — Lim Kok Thay succeeds Lim Goh Tong as Chairman of the Genting Group of Companies. (p. 178)
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Lim, G.T. (2004). My story. Subang Jaya, Malaysia: Pelanduk Publications.
1 year ago