Malaysia has 22 new billionaires!
(Free Malaysia Today) – Social, political and economic mayhem aside, a “Malaysian Business” survey has revealed 22 new billionaires in Malaysia as at Jan 15 – eight more than last year.
Among the new billionaires are Datuk Seri Nazir Razak of CIMB Group, Lee Swee Eng of KNM Group, brothers Datuk Shahril Shamsuddin and Shahriman Shamsuddin of Sapura, and OSK Holdings’ Ong Leong Huat, who makes a comeback to the list after a one-year absence.
The survey revealed its list of Malaysia’s 40 richest people. The billionaires recorded an increase in their fortunes and are collectively worth RM156.7 billion as at Jan 15, or 63 per cent more than their worth (RM96.3 billion) a year ago, on the back of a recovery in the stock market.
However, according to the fortnightly magazine’s survey results released in a statement today, their combined wealth was still less than the RM171.9 billion recorded in 2008.
The benchmark FBM KLCI has risen 44.3 per cent since its last survey as the world strives to get back on its feet following the global financial crisis.
The full list of the 40 tycoons and details of their wealth were published in the magazine’s Feb 16 issue. As in the previous year, the wealth of the Top 40 was assessed based on the value of their stakes in listed companies as at Jan 15 this year.
