Robert Kuok
has been a legend for many decades. Much has already been said about him, so
when his autobiography was released a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t expect the
book to be sold like a hot cake, especially in Singapore, where Robert Kuok is
not really a household name, even though his two Shangri-la hotels in the
island are a cut above most others in the same league. I was advised by
Kinokuniya that I had to wait for the reprint.
In the
meantime, I had to be content with the excerpts in the South China Morning Post
that were being circulated by friends. Those parts on his advice to the then
incoming prime minister of Malaysia Tun
Hussein Onn and on his disappointment with the Malaysian government’s decision
to see the existing shareholders’ equity diluted in MISC, as expected, did not
go down well with many in the country. But I suspect these people have not
really read the book.
The three
copies I ordered finally arrived just before Christmas. It is not a great
literary work, but you could hardly put it aside once you opened the first
page. My wife, who normally does not enjoy reading autobiographies, especially by
businessmen, also finished the book in one day!
Internationally,
Kuok is held in awe as the world’s Sugar King. To me, Kuok’s name is synonymous
with the Shangri-la chain of hotels. I have stayed in several of them – Kuala
Lumpur, Penang, Singapore, Beijing, Jakarta and Yangon – and found my stay in every
one of them comfortable. But I really do know something more about Kuoks
besides the Shangri-la hotels.
I was
introduced to his brother-in-law Leslie Cheah in the 1980s, thanks to my good
Highlands & Lowlands mentor Sayed Mohammad. I harboured fat hopes then that
I would one day be introduced to Mr Kuok. It never happened. Years later, I had
the opportunity to join Tan Sri Frank
Tsao’s entourage to call on Malaysia’s VVVIPs in one of his usual Hari Raya rounds. (Readers of Kuok’s
memoir would remember that it was Frank Tsao whom he approached to start the
Malaysian International Shipping Corporation.) Kuok had his own entourage as
well. Many of the destinations of the two tycoons were the same. We ended up in
the same place and at the same time often. People of Kuok’s stature usually
carry themselves with tunnel visions. But Kuok was different; would always make
it a point to exchange a few pleasantries with lesser mortals and hangers-on
like me. But before that, I had already heard a great deal about the greatness of
this extraordinary man. I did have the opportunity to work for MISC for a few
months in early 1990s. “Jepun” Ali, a colleague then, used to serve as MISC’s
manager in Hong Kong. He said Kuok would always leave something for evrybody in
business negotiations. In short, he does not believe in zero-sum games. That
itself is a great lesson to teach in management schools' classes!
Kuok was
quite blunt with those who seem to have short-changed or been mean to him. To
those whose names were mentioned – the British bankers, the Australian
charlatan, the Indonesian and Korean tycoons, and the Japanese corporate
pretenders – he didn’t mince his words at all. Despite his harsh words about
the atrocities committed by Japan during Word War II, and about colonialism, he
is generous in his praises to those who have conduct themselves with
principles. The book is all about fairness, humility, honour and above all, his
concept and practice of filial piety.
Kuok must be
one of the few who spurn honorifics. Many of his key staff are Tan Sris or
Datuks. He might already be one, but he certainly does not want to be addressed as one.
Kuok is a no
ordinary Chinese entrepreneur. He is really an exception.
Extraordinary
lessons from an extraordinary man!
