Humble is as humble does. And no one embodies that better than our very own “Sugar King of Asia”, Malaysian billionaire Robert Kuok (郭鹤年). Several decades ago, Robert cemented his place in history with his sugar empire and since then he’s mostly left the running of his business to his family.
But, despite his steady rise in wealth and status as a result of his hard work, Robert has remained as humble as he was before. He once explained he viewed titles as “false fame”. Well, even now, it seems he is still remembered for refusing to obtain any more titles, especially the “Datuk” and “Tan Sri” titles!
Today, 6th October, marks Robert Kuok’s 100th birthday and many have been overjoyed to celebrate it with him. However, his birthday has brought up some old memories for others, including the time he reportedly refused accept the title of “Datuk” and “Tan Sri” from the late Sultan of Johor, Sultan Iskandar, no less.
The late Sultan Iskandar was well-known for his seriousness and minimal interaction with entrepreneurs. Yet, that did not matter when it came to Robert. Reportedly, the “Sugar King” had been on good terms with the members of the Johor royal family, but it was never publicised.
So, it was no surprise to hear that Sultan Iskandar had intended to award Robert the title of “Datuk” and “Tan Sri” after being crowned Sultan of Johor. But, to the surprise of many, Robert had politely turned down the award, claiming he was more used to others calling him “Robert Kuok”.
The surprise doesn’t stop there. Robert has also confirmed he will not be leaving his wealth to his eight children born of two marriages. The billionaire explained he is bothered by the concept of inheritance, firmly believing it disrupts the balance and tips the moral scale. However, he has established several foundations and trusts to help others in need.
To date, Robert Kuok still holds the title of the richest man in Malaysia, according to Forbes as of 1st June 2023. It was reported that he holds a net worth of US$11.8 billion (~RM55.6 billion). But, it seems many still see the man behind the wealth.
Fellow billionaire from Hong Kong, Li Ka-shing (李嘉诚) and his son, Victor Li (李泽钜) took great care to wish Robert today, adding: “(We) wish you good health and happiness! We cherish your friendship and the good times we spent together. You’ve been a great friend.”
We wish Mr. Robert Kuok a happy 100th birthday as well, and hope he will have more years of blessings to come!
