Robert Kuok, 102, tops Malaysia’s rich list yet again

 The HK-based hotel and real estate magnate is followed by Hong Leong’s Quek Leng Chan and 99 Speed Mart founder Lee Thiam Wah.

Robert Kuok was ranked 204th with a net worth of US$14.2 billion on Forbes’ 2026 list of billionaires. (File pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 Hotel and real estate magnate Robert Kuok, 102, is once again Malaysia’s richest man based on the latest Forbes list of the world’s billionaires.

Hong Kong-based Kuok was ranked 204th with a net worth of US$14.2 billion, making him the highest ranked Malaysian in the annual list.

According to Forbes data, the tycoon’s wealth had increased from US$12.1 billion last year, though he has slipped down the rankings. Last year, he was ranked 101st.

Fourteen other Malaysians made the list alongside Kuok.

He was followed by Hong Leong’s Quek Leng Chan (ranked 486th, US$7.6 billion net worth), 99 Speed Mart Holdings Bhd founder Lee Thiam Wah (ranked 595th, US$6.8 billion), and Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd’s Koon Poh Keong (ranked 645th, US$6.8 billion).

Others who made the list included Sunway Bhd’s Jeffrey Cheah (749th, US$5.6 billion); Lee Yeow Chor (934th, US$4.6 billion) and Lee Yeow Seng (1074th, US$4 billion) of IOI Corp Bhd; and Syed Mokhtar Albukhary (1,163rd, US$3.7 billion).

The total number of billionaires on Forbes’ list continued to expand this year with 400 more than 2025, while their total wealth stood at an all-time high of US$20.1 trillion, a US$4 trillion increase from last year.

Tech leaders continued to top the list, with Elon Musk coming in at first spot (US$839 billion) followed by Larry Page (US$257 billion) and Sergey Brin (US$237 billion) of Google, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos (US$224 billion) and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg (US$222 billion). - FMT