Entrepreneurship - Lim Goh Tong

Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong or Tan Sri Dato Seri was born in 1918 in An Xi, Fujian, China. He lived in a rural area in China, due to the riot of 1911 revolution. He have 6 siblings, he is the fifth child. He was able to attend school until his father, Lim Shi Quan pass away when Lim Goh Tong was 16 years old. Thus, made his older brothers

had a heavy burden. He had to work to feed the whole family. Therfore, due to the financial problem Lim had to quit from school. From that time, he was selling vegetable seeds, to help to provide his mothers, Goh Ban and 6 siblings.

Lim Goh Tong Photo for his autobiography’s cover book

He countinued live in China for another 3 years. However, things are getting worst in China. At the age of 19, he started to find other places that have better opportunities to venture. He chose to move to Malaya (Malaysia) by following his cousin’s footsteps, Lim Kheng Chong.  As a Chinese immigrant in Malaya he had nothing to start with. He started working as a carpenter and lived in his uncle house for several years. He gained a lot of experiences from variant type of jobs. He also learned Malay Language during this time.

Skills and Competencies

In 1942, Japanese invaded Malaya and Mr. Lim nearly died a few times during this period of time. Malaysian Chinese was treated harshly by Japanese. Moreover, suspected Chinese sympathizers in Malaysia will be imprisoned, interrogated and tortured. Due to the Japanese occupation Mr. Lim have to work as a vegetable farmer and further on he changed as a petty trader for a better living. Later on Lim attempted the scrap-metal and hardware trading. When the Japanese occupation ended, the demands of machineries went high. Lim Goh Tong took that chance and starting his business on that area and lead him to his first fortune. From that point, he joined as a partner in an iron mining company. This join ventured brought him with a outstanding amount of payment came from 2 bulldozers. Mr. Lim received generous amount of money from the machineries and mining business.

His experienced in mining, machinery, his numerous amount of capital money and help from his uncle brought him to the contracting industries. Under his family construction company named Kien Huat Private Limited, his contructing business went huge. He gained a lot of recognitions from his works.  Kien Huat company won a tribute and became one of top construction companies in Malaysia. They completed a lot of projects including, Ayer Itam Dam and Kemubu Irrigation Scheme.

One of the Kien Huat Company’s projects – Air Itam Dam, Penang, Malaysia

1960’s were the year where Lim started his life as a conglomerate. However, one day he went to the Cameron Highlands and the idea of creating a resort on the top of the hill hit him. He was working on the “hydro-electric” power electric at the popular hill resort for the British. In that area he saw the British were seeking the cool place to aid from the tropical heat. He belief Malaysian would want the cool breeze that easy to reach just like the British. Thus, he wanted to create a resort with a theme park, world’s class gambling area and hotel, that far from the hustle of the city. However, the Cameron Highlands were too far from the capital city. Therefore, he did some research and he found out Gunung Ulu Kali at the place called Genting Sempah would be a perfect place for his plan. A lot of people told him to not materialize his risky idea. People said it could not be done and it should not be done.

Challenges & Achievements

Lim Goh Tong built Genting Highland Casino Resort within 7 years without any investors. The casino license was not the only problem that he had to face to build it. The Gunung Ulu Kali area that he picked was mark by a river, hills and dense vegetation. All of the problems made his idea seem impossible to make in front of the investors. This Malaysian - Chinese deceased man is famous as an entrepreneur with his courage on taking a high risk. He invested all of his money and sold all properties he had to build his dream resort. Even though his family and friends against his idea, he still working on it. He almost went bankrupt and nearly died several times when he went to check the site. In 1971, he finally managed to transform an unexplored jungle on the hilltop to become one of the world well-known Casino Resort.

The resort achieved a very positive feedbacks and it was success. People came to Genting Highlands resort to sleep, eat, see the sights and gamble. It was continued for over than 30 years. Now, Genting Highland Resort have 5 hotels namely, Genting Hotel, Resort Hotel, Theme Park Hotel, First World Hotel and Highlands Hotel) and 2 apartment blocks (Ria and Kayangan Apartments) and Awana Genting Highlands Golf and Country Resort. This huge success lead Genting group to expand to the other industries such as cruise boat industries (Star Cruises), biotechnology, oil and gas, power generation, plantation and more.

Lim Goh Tong once crowned as the richest man in Malaysia according to “FORBES”, with a net worth $4.2 Billion. Genting berhad was acknowledged as the No.1 Leading company in Malaysia for 10 years in 2004 and from 1994 to 2002 by The Asian Wall Street Journal 200. Genting berhad also rated No.1 in Malaysia and No.2 in Asia for the overall best managed company for the decade by AsiaMoney and many more achievements.

 At the end of year 2003, Lim Goh Tong inherited his place of Genting Berhad to his son Lim Kok Thay. Lim Goh Tong passed away at the ages 89 in 2007, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.