ROBERT KUOK REMAINS MALAYSIA'S RICHEST WITH NET WORTH OF US$9 BLN

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 (Bernama) -- Robert Kuok, the Kuok Group
patriarch, remains Malaysia's richest with a net worth of US$9 billion, down
from US$10 billion a year ago, according to the 2009 Forbes Asia Malaysia Rich
List.

In a statement here Thursday, Forbes said Kuok has held the top spot every
year since Forbes Asia began ranking the 40 richest Malaysians in 2006.

Businessman Ananda Krishnan held on to his second place with a net
worth of US$7 billion,just down from US$7.2 billion last year.He has also
maintained the same ranking every year since 2006.

Together, Kouk and Ananda account for 44 percent of the top 40's wealth.

They are also the two richest people in Southeast Asia.

The third richest is Lee Shin Cheng, head of IOI Group, one of the
world's leading operators of palm oil plantations. He is worth US$3.2 billion,
down from US$5.5 billion last year but keeps his position in the top three.

Malaysia's 40 richest people are worth a combined US$36 billion, down from
US$46 billion a year ago.

It said the 22 percent loss in wealth is largely in line with the 21 percent
drop in the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) and is not too bad, considering
the fact that the Malaysian ringgit has lost 10 percent against the US dollar,
the currency by which the net worths are measured.

Malaysia has nine billionaires who are collectively worth US$30 billion or
84 percent of the total wealth amassed by the country's top 40.

This is the biggest wealth disparity among Forbes Asia's rich list.

Vincent Tan (ranked 10, US$750 million) of Berjaya Corporation Bhd
is the only Malaysian to drop out of the billionaire ranks in the past 12 months
as share prices in his companies have declined.

Three making their debut are IOI Board member Chan Fong Ann (ranked
18, US$209 million), gaming tycoon Chen Lip Keong (ranked 21, US$195
million) and software executive Goh Peng Ooi (ranked 34, US$112 million).

Four people have returned to the rankings after an absence of a year or
more.Among them are Syed Mohd Yusof Tun Syed Nasir (ranked 37, US$100
million) and Tan Teong Hean (ranked 39, US$95 million), who cashed out
of Southern Bank several years ago and is now making new investments.

The latest issue of Forbes Asia also features Francis Yeoh, head of
conglomerate YTL (ranked seven,US$1.8 billion).

The full list of Malaysia's richest and the story on Francis Yeoh can be
found in the June 8 issue of Forbes Asia, which is now available on newsstands.

-- BERNAMA