The passing of Tan Sri Dato’ Seri (Dr) Yeoh Tiong Lay, the founder of the YTL Group of companies, sees the loss of one of the country’s nation builders, responsible for helping to change the landscape of Malaysia as we know it. Yeoh passed away peacefully on 18 October 2017 leaving behind his wife Puan Sri Tan Kai Yong, seven children, 27 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
Yeoh founded YTL as a humble construction company in Kuala Selangor in 1955 and subsequently diversified it into a conglomerate of companies that dealt with everything ranging from developing integrated infrastructure to merchant multi-utilities, communications and hotel development and management among others. Today YTL Corp is amongst the 30 largest companies listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia with Forbes estimating his net worth to be USD2 billion (MYR8.4 billion).
Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Francis Yeoh Sock Ping, Managing Director of YTL Corp and eldest son of Tan Sri Dato’ Seri (Dr) Yeoh Tiong Lay, said in a statement: “We are greatly saddened by the loss of my beloved father and founder of the YTL Group. Under his illustrious leadership, the YTL Group expanded from its base in Malaysia to encompass operations and projects across the globe. The growth and development of the YTL Group was always rooted in our Chairman’s determination to build a strong, responsible and sustainable company for the benefit of his family, employees, business partners and the wider community, and this is his legacy. His work ethic was exemplary and his humility is testimony to the great man and leader that he was. We will miss him greatly.â€
The Peak was fortunate to have Tan Sri Dato’ Seri (Dr) Yeoh Tiong Lay grace our cover together with Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Francis Yeoh Sock Ping as well as Joseph Yeoh, making up three generations of the Yeoh family in our December 2013 issue. The occasion was in line with the opening of Hutong, a food court situated in one of YTL’s best known properties, Lot 10, celebrating the best street food of Malaysia and Singapore. While Tan Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay was not interviewed in the story, his warmth and generosity was felt during the cover shoot of which he made precious time for.
The Peak wishes to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Tan Sri Dato’ Seri (Dr) Yeoh Tiong Lay.
