Lee Kim Yew

Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato' Seri
Lee Kim Yew
PSM DPPN DHMS DSSA
Born (1955-08-19) 19 August 1955 (age 69)
Johor, Malaysia
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist
Years active1955 - present
Known forThe Mines Resort & Golf Club

Country Heights Holdings Berhad

Palace of The Golden Horses Golden Touch Investment Bank

L1 Bank
TitleAdvisor of Country Heights Holdings Berhad

Founder of the World Chinese Economic Forum Patron and Founder of The Global Chinese Economic &Technology Summit Patron of the Malaysia Entrepreneurs' Development Association

Patron of Malaysia Association for Advancement of Functional and Interdisciplinary Medicine
SpousePuan Sri Tan Bee Hong
Websitehttps://leekimyew.com

Lee Kim Yew (born 19 August 1955) is a Malaysian entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist. He was the founder and chairman of Country Heights Holdings Berhad[1] and was among the first to venture into property development with country-living concept. Under Country Heights Holdings Berhad, he established various projects such as the Palace of the Golden Horses, The Mines and GHHS Healthcare.  

In early 2023, the Shah Alam High Court declared him to be bankrupt.[2] Subsequently, he stepped down [3] as the chairman of Country Heights Holdings Berhad, and has since become an advisor for the group.[4]

Career

In 1985, Lee started off into property development.[5] He has worked on various sites in North Borneo, Mauritius, Johannesburg and London. Some of his earliest work include turning an abandoned rubber estate into residences with quality landscaping and converting an open-cast mining land into the Mines Wellness City.[6]

Other projects that he has undertaken include the Borneo Highlands Resort and the Hornbill Golf & Jungle Club in Sarawak which won the CNBC Award for Best Golf Development Malaysia in 2008.[7]

Business Ventures

Country Heights Holdings Berhad

Founded by Lee, Country Heights Holdings Berhad is an investment holding company listed on the Main Market of Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange that operates in real estate development and construction, real estate investing and management, hotel, and golf resort.[8] Country Heights also provides educational, computer, leisure, marketing, health screening, exhibition centre and event management services.[9]

Projects under Country Heights include the Mines Resort and Golf Club, Country Heights Damansara, Country Heights Kajang, Borneo Highlands, Palace of the Golden Horses, Excel Exhibition Centre (London) and Pecanwood Golf and Country Club (South Africa).[10]

Golden Horses Health Sanctuary Healthcare

As a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, Lee expanded his business into the healthcare and wellness industry in 2001 with the establishment of Golden Horses Health Sanctuary (GHHS) Healthcare, a dedicated preventive health screening centre within a resort.[11]

Golden Horse Digital Investment Bank

In 2021, Lee founded Golden Horse Digital Investment Bank Ltd (GHDIB).[11] GHDIB is a fully-licensed[12] and regulated digital investment bank, offering investment accounts alongside a digital asset exchange and a range of lending products.[11]

Other Ventures

Global Chinese Economic & Technology Summit

In 2009, Lee and fellow Malaysian entrepreneur Tan Sri Michael Yeoh founded the World Chinese Economic Forum, which was later rebranded into World Chinese Economic Summit. In 2021, with the rapid rise of technology and innovation, it was rebranded again into the Global Chinese Economic & Technology Summit.[13]

The summit is an annual international forum that promotes business linkages, connectivity, shared prosperity and sustainability, with the purpose to enhance connections between China, the world and global Chinese diasporas. It brings together the government, businesses and scholars to cover diverse topics such as the role of technology in business, education, healthcare and economic growth.[14]

Malaysia Association for Advancement of Functional and Interdisciplinary Medicine (MAAFIM)

Lee is also the patron of the Malaysia Association for Advancement of Functional and Interdisciplinary Medicine (MAAFIM), a national association that facilitates the growth of science, research, education, and continued professional development, with the goal of promoting evidence-based medical care as well as offering guidance on policy related to Interdisciplinary Medicine[15]

Philanthropy

Bantu-bantu Malaysia

During Malaysia's Movement Control Order (MCO) in March 2020, Lee initiated Bantu-bantu Malaysia, a non-profit social welfare initiative. The initiative supplied masks and personal protection equipment (PPEs), food baskets and other essentials to the mid to low-income groups. More than 30,000 food baskets and other food necessities were distributed by Bantu-bantu Malaysia.[16]

Bantu-bantu Malaysia has also donated masks, surgical gowns, ventilators, PPEs, surgical masks, and N95 grade masks to medical staff and front-liners of private and government hospitals as well as NGOs in various states, such as Kuala Lumpur, Sabah, and Kelantan. Food was also distributed to the JAWI Food Bank, Social Welfare Department, Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan, Army Veterans, and other NGOs.[16]

Other measures

During the beginning of MCO, the Palace of the Golden Horses initiated a culinary programme for orphans, old folks, single mothers, foreign employees and students within a 5-kilometer radius of the hotel.[16]

Personal life

Lee plays golf. One of his business premises, The Mines Resort & Golf Club, has held golf tournaments and events, such as the 2017 Southeast Asian Games golf competitions, 1999 World Cup of Golf and others[17]

Lee is a Buddhist and frequently holds exhibitions at the Palace of the Golden Horses to celebrate the Guan Yin goddess as well as showcase his collection of Guan Yin statues[18]

Lee is a believer in Chinese Philosophy. He practices Confucianism and I-Ching.[19]

Honours

References

  1. ^ "Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  2. ^ "Country Heights founder Lee Kim Yew declared bankrupt". The Star. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  3. ^ "Announcement details". www.bursamalaysia.com. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  4. ^ Sharen, NST (28 February 2023). "Future proof real estate through digitalisation, innovation, says Country Heights founder". New StraitsTimes. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  5. ^ Cheng, Thean Lee. "Having an eye for country living". The Star. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  6. ^ "Mines Cruise - Mines Resort City, Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia". Malaysia Traveller. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  7. ^ "TAN SRI LEE KIM YEW « The Global Chinese Economic & Technology Summit". Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  8. ^ "Lee Kim Tiong "Lee Kim Yew" Chairman/Founder, Country Heights Holdings BHD". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  9. ^ "klse: CHHB 5738 Share Price". klse investing. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  10. ^ "Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew". KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  11. ^ a b c "TAN SRI LEE KIM YEW: DIGITAL TCM COULD BE AN EFFECTIVE METHOD IN RESTRAINING THE WIDESPREAD OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC". bernamamrem.com. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  12. ^ "List of Labuan Digital Financial Service Providers - Digital Financial Services | Labuan FSA". www.labuanfsa.gov.my. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  13. ^ Ong, Shazni (2021-12-27). "Tycoon Lee Kim Yew distances himself from forum addressed by Najib". The Edge Markets. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  14. ^ "Global Chinese Economic & Technology Summit". KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  15. ^ "Malaysia and Ivermectin: How We Got Here - Between The Lines". 2021-09-12. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  16. ^ a b c "Bantu-Bantu Malaysia". Celebrating the 50 Years of Rukun Negara. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  17. ^ Lo, Ruth Christy (2022-05-09). "The Mines Resort & Golf Club". Deemples Golf. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  18. ^ "Grand celebration on July 17 for Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara at Palace of the Golden Horses, Weekly-Echo". Weekly-Echo. 2022-07-14. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  19. ^ Soong, Elizabeth. "Asia's Most Influential 2020: Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  20. ^ "Senarai Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1997" (PDF). www.istiadat.gov.my.
  21. ^ "DSSA 1994". awards.selangor.gov.my.