Koon Yew Yin: Who is MCA, UTAR protecting in Kampar?

Koon Yew Yin

The public must demand that MCA and the UTAR authorities explain why UTAR is protecting the real estate developers who are making unprecedented profits in the history of Kampar. Who are the largest developers in Kampar?

What is the true reason for University Tunku Abdul Rahman not to accept my Rm 30 million donation?

On 13 September 2010, the UTAR Board of Trustees and Council issued a press statement which puts the blame for the withdrawal of my donation of RM30 million on the “many conditions such as the setting-up of a foundation where he [Koon Yew Yin] will be the Chairman and be in full control”.

Ever since I made my written Rm 30 million donation offer on 18th Aug. last year, the UTAR authorities have been using various means to delay acceptance of my offer. Now they have informed the public that the delay is because I want full control over the spending of my donation.

This is factually incorrect and misleading.
The true facts are that after waiting patiently for more than 6 months, on 1st March 2010, I finally received an invitation to meet the UTAR authorities on the matter. That meeting was held in UTAR Kampar and was also attended by my Trustees Dr. Lim Teck Ghee and Tan Kit Pheng, and my architect Lee Thean Hock as well as Tan Sri Lau Yin Pin, Chairman UTAR Trustees, Dato Professor Chuah Hean Teik, President UTAR, Dato Fu Ah Kiow, UTAR Council member and Dr Tan Kee Kong, UTAR Registrar.

In that meeting, I agreed to allow UTAR to have control over the donation and project as shown in my final written offer which I reproduce here:

1st March 2010: Final Donation Offer letter to UTAR Koon Yew Yin’s objectives and conditions for his Rm 30 million donation KYY’s mission is to help UTAR students, especially the poor students in their access to university residential accommodation and scholarships. 1.All the Rm 30 million donation and the profit from the rental and other income must be used for building hostels and other associated residential buildings for the use of students within the campus of UTAR, Kampar. 2.All construction contracts exceeding Rm 10,000 must be open to competitive tenders. 3.The task force is to be composed of 7 members, 4 members to be nominated by UTAR and 3 members to be nominated by myself or by my nominee. 4.I will be appointed by UTAR as Adviser to the Task Force. The role of Adviser must be spelt out and agreeable to me. This position will be a life long one. Any change to be made to the position has to be sanctioned by me or by the executors of my estate. 5.UTAR will utilize a team of people to manage the hostel on a commercial basis. The rental rate must be competitive and profitable but at the same time it should not burden the students. 6.Koon Yew Yin and his estate reserve the right to authorise UTAR to use a portion of the net income to create a Koon Yew Yin Charity Foundation to help poor students by offering scholarships or loans to UTAR and other needy students. 7.In honour of his donation, KYY wishes to have a tablet prominently displaced with these words inscribed: Recipients of Koon Yew Yin’s scholarships and residents of Koon Yew Yin’s hostels have only to promise him that when they graduate and are financially solvent they will help other poor people. The whole residential village is to be named Koon Yew Yin Residential Complex. Each hostel block should be named after the fundamental rights of citizens such as LIBERTY, JUSTICE, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY, FREEDOM, INTEGRITY etc

It is necessary to stress clause 3 and 4. These are clauses contained in the email letter from the President of UTAR, Dr.Chuah to me on 18 November 2009 which is appended.

The acceptance of these key clauses prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was prepared to accept to allow UTAR control over the spending of my money. They show that I had agreed that UTAR would have control of the task force and that my role was to be as “Adviser” – and not to be “the Chairman and be in full control” as alleged.

I hope the UTAR Board and Council members can compare the contents of the two key letters and ascertain the real truth of the situation.

The meeting on the 1st March ended on a highly optimistic note. I was given the impression that acceptance of my donation was a formality and that it would be quickly acted upon. The UTAR authorities have failed to provide any minutes of the meeting but members who were present can attest to what I have stated here.

Further I should point out that between 1st March and until late August there was no indication that the terms proposed in my letter were unacceptable or needed reconsideration. I waited more than a year for UTAR’s reply in vain. Any donor in any part of the world would have lost his patience earlier.

According to the UTAR statement of 13 September, “all donations to UTAR Educational Foundation are handled and managed with the highest level of integrity and professionalism”. I leave it to the public to decide whether those terms and conditions I stated in my final offer on 1st March 2010 are reasonable or not.


The UTAR Board and Council continue to ignore the pressing issue of the housing needs of the UTAR students.

Currently there are about 12,500 students in Kampar and the student population is increasing by about 2,000 every year. On average each student is paying about Rm 2,000 on rental for accommodation a year and the total sum is about Rm 25 million a year. The public must demand that MCA and the UTAR authorities explain why UTAR is protecting the real estate developers who are making unprecedented profits in the history of Kampar. Who are the largest developers in Kampar?

In fact, about a week ago, the MCA President Dato Sri Chua Soi Lek said openly that he preferred not to get involved in this UTAR episode.

UTAR’s refusal to accept my Rm 30 million donation for building hostels within the University campus is ridiculous. As a result thousands of students and parents will suffer and they will not forget that the MCA controls UTAR.

The Perak Government gave 1,300 acres of land to develop UTAR in Kampar and up till now only about 200 acres have been used. The public must ask for UTAR’s development plan and ask to know when they will begin their hostel construction.

Annex 1: Email letter from Dr. Chuah Hean Teik, President, UTAR to Koon Yew Yin dated 18 November 2009 Dear Mr Koon Both Council and Board of Trustees of UTAR met (the last one was yesterday 17.11.2009). I would like to inform of the decision. Both Council and Board of Trustees record their appreciation to your kind suggestion to donate 30 million for hostel development in Kampar. After lengthy and open discussion, both decided to appoint a Task Force consisting of Chairman of Board of Trustess, Tan Sri Lau Yin Pin, Council Member Datuk Fu Ah Kiow and myself to have meeting with you to sort out details and terms and conditions. Some terms and conditions are as below: (i) The RM30 million will be donated to UTAR Education Foundation and will be disbursed within 3 years (RM10 million a year). For the first year expenditure, Ir. Koon will transfer some cash and marketable shares worth a total of RM10 million to a trust account under the control of the Task Force to be established under UTAR Education Foundation to oversee the development of this project as soon as construction begins. (ii) Before signing the acceptance agreement of his donation, Ir. Koon will show his amended will with the provision of RM30 million as donation to UTAR for hostel development. This will ensure that his beneficiary of his estate will honour this donation of RM30 million. (iii) The Task Force shall recommend design, layout and building plans for the hostel development to the UTAR Planning and Development Committee for approval. It is important that the design, layout and building plans for the hostel complement the overall master plan of the UTAR Perak Campus. (iv) There will be 7 members in the Task Force, at least 4 members shall be appointed by UTAR, upon the recommendation of Board of Trustees and UTAR Council. Thus, the membership of the Task Force shall be as follows: •3 member appointed by Ir. Koon Yew Yin, the donor; •2 members appointed by the Board of Trustees UTAR Education Foundation, one of whom shall be the Chairperson; and •2 members appointed by UTAR Council (v) Ir Koon Yew Yin, the donor, shall be appointed as an advisor of the said Task Force. (vi) Any proposed new development(s) at UTAR utilising the 50% returns from the hostel investment (after deducting maintenance cost, operational cost, etc) would be recommended by the Task Force to UTAR Planning and Development Committee. Such new development(s) shall be forwarded to Council for approval and to be endorsed by the Board of Trustees UTAR Education Foundation. (vii) Construction and development of the hostel must be done through open tender. (viii) The rental rates for the hostel shall be decided by UTAR management. If there is a need management company will be appointed to manage the hostel. (ix) The UTAR Education Foundation shall be the legal owner of the hostel in UTAR Perak campus. (xi) A piece of land (max 30 acres) on the North of Plot C in UTAR Kamapr will be alloted for the hostel development. As for the Koon Yew Yin Scholarship and Loan Fund, Council decided that if 50% of net profit of the Hostel is to be given to this Fund, then the following conditions are to be met: (i) The Fund must be administered by UTAR Management and a separate account to be set up. (ii) The Selection Committee shall follow the existing UTAR procedures for other loan and scholarship funds sponsored by other donors and administered by UTAR Management The Selection Committee is as follow: (i) President or his representative as the Chairperson (ii) Vice President in charge of Student Affairs (iii) Registrar or his representative (iv) Director of Finance (v) Heads of Student Affairs of all campuses (vi) Head of Admissions and Credit Evaluation (vii) Dean/Director of Faculty/Institute/Academic Centre concerned (viii) A representative as appointed by Ir. Koon A designated Staff from Department of Student Affairs appointed by the Chairperson shall act as Secretary of the Committee. In summary, we can only agree subject to all terms and conditions accept by both parties at the discussion to be arranged between your goodself and the 3 members (Tan Sri Lau, Datuk Fu and myself). With best regards