Goh Tong dies at 90

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, the founder of the Genting Group and one of the world’s richest men, died Tuesday. He was 90.

His son Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay said his father died at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre where he was admitted two days ago.

The funeral will be held on Monday.

“On behalf of my family and the Genting Group of companies, it is with great sadness I announce that my father and the founder of the Genting Group of companies passed away peacefully at 11.20am this morning.

“He was not ill. It was due to old age,” he told reporters at the hospital.

Sitting with him at the press conference was his sister Lim Siew Lian. Goh Tong’s wife Puan Sri Lee Kim Hua and several other relatives were also at the hospital.

At 5pm, an ambulance with Lim’s body, led by two police cars, left the hospital.

At 6.15pm, it was seen passing through the checkpoint at the entrance to his home GohTong Villa at GohTong Jaya, a township halfway up Genting Highlands.

A convoy of eight cars ferrying family members followed the ambulance.

At the GohTong Memorial Park where Lim will be buried, a hearse picked up an empty coffin at 6.30pm and headed towards the house. A simple ceremony was performed at the hill before the hearse left.

The park, which sites a mausoleum for the late tycoon, is about 1km from Lim's residence.

Mausoleum caretaker Kua Seng Kee declined to talk to pressmen and barred them from entering the site.

Pressmen were also denied entry to Lim’s residence.

About a dozen policemen were present to ensure that only those invited could go through the first security checkpoint of three before the house, taking down details of people in the cars.

Cars passing by the road to the GohTong Sports Centre nearby were also asked to turn back.

Meanwhile, condolence messages and tributes poured in from political and business leaders in the country and overseas.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi described Lim's death as a great loss to the country and all Malaysians while MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said he was an exemplary figure to all Malaysians.

Lim developed the popular hill resort of Genting Highlands and founded the Genting Group which comprised listed companies on the Bursa Malaysia as well as the Singapore and Hong Kong stock exchanges.

He was ranked 204th on the Forbes 2007 list of billionaires worldwide and his life has always been seen as a classic “rags to riches” story.

Born in 1918 in China’s Fujian Province, Lim came to the then Malaya when he was 19.

Remembering Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong
Lim Goh Tong dies at 90
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55 before spouse can claim savings

KUALA LUMPUR: Beginning June 1 next year, any claim on a deceased spouse’s Employers Provident Fund savings will only be paid once the claimant reaches the age of 55.

According to EPF chief executive officer Datuk Azlan Zainol, this would apply to cases where a person obtained a court order stating that the claimant would get the contributor’s savings.


“However, this only applies to non-Muslims. That is because of the fatwa that EPF savings is not matrimonial property,” he said yesterday.

Angkasawan's Successful Mission??

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- Following is the chronology of events leading to the launching of Malaysia's first angkasawan (astronaut) Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha into space and his safe return to earth:

Aug 5 2003: Malaysia signed a contract to procure 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighter jets from Russia under a package deal worth about US$900 million. The aircraft are to be delivered in stages between June 2006 and end of 2007. The payment for the aircraft will be stretched until 2009. In return, Russia will purchase Malaysia's palm oil, provide transfer of space technology, and train a Malaysian to become Malaysia's first angkasawan.

Oct 2003: Over 11,000 applicants registered online to become Malaysia's first angkasawan. Application requirements included being above 21 years old, a degree holder or a professional pilot.

Aug 27-Sept 3 2005: 894 candidates shortlisted but only 435 took part in the fitness test starting with a 3.5km run which must be completed within 20 minutes. 199 made it through. Of the figure, 194 underwent the basic medical examination based on National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Programme Criteria. 59 passed.

Sept 25-30 2005: First aeromedical test which included blood, nose and ear checks, X-ray, and electrocardiogram (ECG). 59 were tested, 27 passed.

Jan 16-21 2006: Second aeromedical test, including bone, air passage and centrifuge tests. 27 were tested, 18 passed.

Jan 16-24 2006: Overall assessment based on performance in 3.5km run and second aeromedical test as well as psychiatric, psychology, land and sea survival and technical competence. 10 were tested, 8 passed.

Jan 25-26 2006: Medical examination (including CT Scan, endoscopy and blood analysis). 10 were tested, 8 passed.

Feb 9 2006: Eight qualified candidates interviewed by selection panel at Shangri-La Hotel, Putrajaya. Overall assessment based on performance in all the events covering all aspects in communication, character, forwardness and determination. Four were selected to be sent to Moscow for further medical examination: Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha, 34, orthopaedic surgeon; Vanajah Siva, 35, senior quality engineer; Dr Faiz Khaleed, 26, Armed Forces dental surgeon; and Mohammed Faiz Kamaludin, 34, Malaysia Airlines pilot.

March 2006: The four candidates underwent medical examination in Russia including neurology (brain) and body adaptation in microgravity environment.

Sept 4 2006: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi named Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha and Dr Faiz Khaleed as the final two candidates at the KL International Airport.

Sept 2006-Sept 2007: The two were sent to the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, Moscow and then to NASA in Houston, Texas, for training. One will be selected to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) while the other is his back-up.

Sept 24 2007: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced that Dr Sheikh Muszaphar and Dr Faiz Khaleed passed the test and recognised as astronauts.

Oct 9 2007: Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis announced in Baikonur that Dr Sheikh Muszaphar will be the first Malaysian angkasawan to blast off to the ISS from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Oct 10 2007: Dr Sheikh Muszaphar together with a Russian cosmanaut and an American astronaut blasted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan to the ISS at 9.21pm (Malaysia time).

Oct 12 2007: Dr Sheikh Muszaphar carried out a research at a live support system space, Zvezda Service Module.

Oct 14 2007: Video conferencing between Dr Sheikh Muszaphar and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at Seri Perdana, Putrajaya failed due to technical glitches.

Oct 15 2007: Video conferencing between Dr Sheikh Muszaphar and Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis.

Oct 16 2007: Video conferencing between Dr Sheikh Muszaphar and Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at Astro.

Oct 19 2007: Video conferencing between Dr Sheikh Muszaphar and the people at the National Science Centre.

Oct 21 2007: Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor landed in the space capsule, Soyuz TMA-10, at Arkylk, Kazakhstan at 2.37pm (6.37pm in Malaysia) together with Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov after a journey of three hours and 23 minutes from the ISS.