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17 comment(s). Last comment by Sslee 2018-03-25 07:16

TheContrarian

9,497 posts

Posted by TheContrarian > 2018-03-23 23:45 | Report Abuse

You already finished the Robert Kuok's Memoir? I am into chapter 4 at the moment.

Sslee

6,851 posts

Posted by Sslee > 2018-03-24 07:20 | Report Abuse

Dear TheContrarian,
I bought a copy of Robert Kuok's Memoir from Popular Bookstore last month while in Malaysia. I have finished reading the book and the book is now with my colleague. Many of my colleagues told me every-time they went to MPH Bookstore the book is all sold out.
Thank you for asking.

TheContrarian

9,497 posts

Posted by TheContrarian > 2018-03-24 09:11 | Report Abuse

I also got mine from Popular just before CNY but put off reading until a few nights ago.

hollandking

3,694 posts

Posted by hollandking > 2018-03-24 09:12 | Report Abuse

the attack from nazri made robert kuok even famous, is kind of weird, but ppl pay attention to him.

Posted by dumbdumb123 > 2018-03-24 10:58 | Report Abuse

To push for Rule of Law is clear and well defined. To improve on moral values, this is alot harder, especially in godless China. In cultures based on religious values, it is easier to teach morality and to improve on them. Even in Malaysia, when your car breaks down, etc, a Muslim Malay man is more likely to help you than a Chinese. And I am ashamed to tell you that, as I am Chinese. Things can be legally right but morally wrong.....like businessmen telling you it is pass the warranty period, knowing very well that the products they sell are of poor quality.Etc etc.

calvintaneng

56,622 posts

Posted by calvintaneng > 2018-03-24 16:54 | Report Abuse

Robert Kuok Memoirs

I booked one copy from Popular Book Singapore. And I was happy to be the First few who got it early. I finished reading the whole book in 3 to 4 days and I must say I enjoyed reading it with great delight.

Robert said some of his happiest days were spent in Ulu Tiram Pineapple plantations in Johor when he had almost nothing during the Japanese Occupation.

He said each week one must eat at least 20 different types of food including seafood.

A man of great diligence. On short notice he would fly thousands of miles to get a business deal.

He knew almost all the founding leaders of Malaysia and a close friend of Lee Kuan Yew. Deng Xiopeng gave Robert the last interview before he retired. Yet he remained a humble man in spite of all his achievements & wealth.

One thing I noticed is the Founding of ShahriLa Hotel (the name was a joke when he first brought it up instead of Orange Grove Road)

He said that for Hotels to succeed it must be located near crossroads of high human traffic. Just like fishing where there are sea currents that cause fishes to pass by.

Robert deals with simple foodstuff like Flour, Sugar, Rice and later Palm Oil which are simple. He mentioned the difficult types of business like plywood & also plastic products. As for plastic products there may may dozens of designs & types. Also the color choices. As for Flour, Sugar, Rice & Palm Oil they are very simple and meet the need of the masses

As for going to Hong Kong he said Malaysia's market is too small as the population is limited. Like a fish inside a pond with little depth. If he dive down he will hit his head on the floor as there is no depth. So he swims sideways and can only expand sideways. The limited population restrains him from growing bigger. After Flour is saturated. And Sugar market is saturated & rice market also saturated he expanded Worldwide through Hong Kong.

Why not Malaysia & Singapore? The reason was due to Hong Kong taxes which is much cheaper. The freeing up of capital in the crucial early years enables him to expand his business faster and better

Now after Robert has accumulated so much he is now the Richest Man in Malaysia.

Also I noticed the very sharp senses of Robert Kuok. He said when he enters a room his senses are all tuned to that moment. Every speech, movement, set up, action & interaction and the very mood of the place he picked up keenly by observations. From this he could sense opportunity, danger or friendliness, sincerity or pretense.

Such is Robert's sharp mental faculty. Very rare indeed.

Yet of all this I think Robert missed the most important thing in life.

He has no real connection with the Spiritual. He does not know Almighty God through Jesus Christ. Jesus said what if a man could gain the whole world and lose his own soul?

So pray for Robert that he gets saved.

How to be saved?

Read www.chick.com

hollandking

3,694 posts

Posted by hollandking > 2018-03-24 17:28 | Report Abuse

calvin, youtube got a video about his interview

hollandking

3,694 posts

Posted by hollandking > 2018-03-24 17:32 | Report Abuse

you are right, calvin, a man no matter how rich he is is poor with the spiritual part, bcoz in the end he will not be able to leave any of these stuff with him BUT to talk about spiritual stuff,IMO it isn't just about religion being able to mould the soul or the consciousness, is what the consciousness learnt while he is in this current form. Learn what? that is the question

hollandking

3,694 posts

Posted by hollandking > 2018-03-24 17:33 | Report Abuse

if one learn to do evil, greedy all sorts of bad stuff, then he learn all the bad stuff and take it with him.

hollandking

3,694 posts

Posted by hollandking > 2018-03-24 17:33 | Report Abuse

many here are very poor in spirit, really rotten to the core

hollandking

3,694 posts

Posted by hollandking > 2018-03-24 17:37 | Report Abuse

Do you know what hell is? Many think hell is a place, but I'm of the opinion hell is a state, the state of your mind/consciousness. I don't talk about the body because I'm of the opinion the physcial world that we see and feel is not real, so that means death doesnt exist at all. If space and time is not real, that means that there's no space, so how can there be death, that means very likely hell is a state, not a place. I think when a consciouness move from 1 state(current) to the next state, what he experienced or learn in this world would be many times amplified and that is where the consciousness of the mind would be in torment.

OrlandoOIL

4,909 posts

Posted by OrlandoOIL > 2018-03-24 18:02 | Report Abuse

Knn calvin u d only one who is complete la

OrlandoOIL

4,909 posts

Posted by OrlandoOIL > 2018-03-24 18:06 | Report Abuse

Robert Kuok oso u touch?

Sslee

6,851 posts

Posted by Sslee > 2018-03-24 18:17 | Report Abuse

Dear Calvintaneng,
Religion usually entails adhering to a certain dogma or belief system.
Spirituality place little important on intellectual beliefs but is concerned with growing into and experiencing the divine consciousness, the inner self. Spiritual seek to conquer self whereas religion seek to conquer others into believing and adhering to a certain belief system. Spiritual is inner whereas religion can be inner but mostly external. Spiritual emphasis more on self-actualization in this earthy world whereas religion emphasis on the afterlife.
You can be an atheist but still remain spiritual.
You can be religious but lack spirituality.
https://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/articles/religion_vs_spirituality.html

Thank you

probability

14,496 posts

Posted by probability > 2018-03-24 18:30 | Report Abuse

walao...you nailed it Sslee! 100 marks to you!

sheep

3,851 posts

Posted by sheep > 2018-03-24 19:14 | Report Abuse

Sslee bingo. By the way, if you have read the book, Robert`s mom is deeply into religion. Robert used to consult her on certain things and he followed her advice. Hence I am sure Robert do pray or has connection with god(s). Just that he chooses not to mention it in his book.... maybe taking into the consideration the readers who are going to read it... definitely not meant for the Buddhist or Taoist Chinese only.

So he didn't touch on religion in his memoirs, as I think, if you are too religious, your hands are tied tightly and hard to `manoeuvre` in your business dealings.
wakakaka

Sslee

6,851 posts

Posted by Sslee > 2018-03-25 07:16 | Report Abuse

Dear sheep,
I wrote in my 2013 New Year Sharing: Have you ever wondered what life is about? I recalled watching a TV program: The Journey of Civilization. The guest speaker said,
“From Confucianism, (Ruler has ruler responsibility, subject has subject responsibility, father has father responsibility, and son has son responsibility.) I learn to take on responsibility. (拿得起)
From Buddhism, (Things are in flux never still. It’s begins from emptiness, will end in emptiness and reemerge from emptiness. Life is cycles of birth and death until Enlightenment and Nirvana.) I learn when to relinquish my responsibility and let other take over. (放得下)
From Taoism, (Heaven and Earth are one. Nature and Man are one.) I learn to live with nature, at peace and at ease with myself and others.” (看得开)
How beautifully and elegantly this speaker summary what life is about?

As Chinese Malaysian we were brought up with the influence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism which are more about philosophy, spirituality, way of life and tradition belief/practices than religion. As such we do not go around wearing our religion cap and telling the whole world the greatness, wholeness and holiness of our religion. We believe religion is a personal choice and to be kept between you and your religion.

Yes, Robert Kuok was greatly influence by his mother teaching in word and deed from a very young age. His early exposed to his mother teaching had installed in him a certain core moral values and ethics which he applied throughout his business dealing.
In later year his mother deeply involved herself into Buddhism practices. Robert Kuok view his mother as a source of guarding light hence consulted her when he face difficult decision in handling family dispute, business dealing, personal relationship and etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism

Thank you

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