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Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
From car salesman to Malaysia's 50 richest: The rise and rise of Causeway Link founder Lim Han Weng
Mr Lim Han Weng, founder of the Causeway Link brand, has handed the reins of his three listed companies to his children. PHOTO: HI MOBILITY From car salesman to Malaysia's 50 richest: The rise and rise of Causeway Link founder Lim Han Weng SINGAPORE – Before he made it to Forbes Malaysia's 50 richest list, Mr Lim Han Weng – the founder behind the Causeway Link buses that ferry thousands of cross-border commuters daily – was once a young man with a simple dream: landing a stable job. Born in Kedah, he graduated with a Higher School Certificate but figured his results were not good enough for university. So he started applying for any job he could find listed in the local classifieds, including an air steward role with Malaysia Airlines. Rejection letters dashed his hopes of getting an office job or a jet-setting career. 'Every time I'm on an airplane, I'm reminded of this,' the 73-year-old laughed when recounting his challenging job hunt in an interview with The Straits Times in his Kranji Green office. Eventually, he became a car salesman for Wearne Brothers, earning a basic salary of just RM250 . His monthly target was to sell two cars – no easy feat in a small town where the big, expensive Jaguar, Holden and Opel models he sold were less popular than Japanese cars. Still, he met his target and appreciated the sales training. Next, he joined Lori Malaysia, a semi-government-owned logistics company, where he was posted to different parts of the country. When he arrived at the Johor branch, a driver commented that this was the best place to make money because of its proximity to Singapore. He stayed for the next five years, and when it was time to return to the Kuala Lumpur headquarters, he chose to resign. In 1984, Mr Lim co-founded his first company, Yinson Transport, with his wife Bah Kim Lian, moving goods across the border for businesses using a small fleet of lorries. That modest trucking company would evolve into something far bigger after he diversified into marine logistics, supplying ships and offshore support vessels to oil and gas companies. In 1996, Yinson Holdings went public, and continued to expand its global presence. It is now one of the world's biggest providers of floating production, storage and offloading vessels, which are used to extract and store crude oil. According to Forbes, the company has US$21 billion (S$27 billion) worth of leasing contracts extending till 2048. Yinson is also in the business of producing renewable energy and building electric vehicle charging networks. In Singapore, Mr Lim set up Liannex Corporation in 1993, and the company now offers services in bus modification, marine logistics, port operation and the supply of construction materials. In 2024, through Liannex Corporation, he bought a controlling stake in marine logistics company Icon Offshore, and turned it into Lianson Fleet Group, which has a market capitalisation of more than RM670 million (S$ 202 million) as at June 2. The serial entrepreneur also saw the pain point of cross-border commuters, and launched Causeway Link bus rides in 2003 after overcoming political red tape, financing and recruitment challenges. On March 28, this company went public as HI Mobility, and has plans to pioneer more smart mobility solutions on both sides of the Causeway. A younger Mr Lim Han Weng posing in front of his fleet after securing a licence in 2003 to run cross-border bus rides under the Causeway Link brand. ST PHOTO: JAMES JACKSON CROUCHER Even as a tycoon with a family net worth of US$480 million, according to Forbes, Mr Lim remains remarkably hands-on, taking calls and responding to WhatsApp messages from irate passengers, concerned parents and the Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, known for his frequent trips to the land checkpoints to address congestion issues. Now, Mr Lim has handed the reins of his three listed companies to his children, with Mr Lim Chern Chuen and Ms Lim Chern Fang overseeing HI Mobility, Mr Lim Chern Yuan helming Yinson Holdings, and Mr Lim Chern Wooi heading Lianson Fleet Group. He sent his children to Australia for their studies when they were still under 10 years old. With no relatives around and their mother unable to be with them all the time, they had to learn to fend for themselves from a young age. 'When you help them too much, they don't want to think for themselves,' said Mr Lim, who has never believed in overparenting. He said young people have to learn to survive in an uncertain world, unless their parents are prepared to feed them forever. Mr Lim Han Weng (left) with his son Lim Chern Chuen, the current chief executive of HI Mobility. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY He remains actively involved in growing his other businesses, especially when it comes to managing deals in Indonesia, as his children do not speak the local language. 'If you retire, your brain will go haywire,' he quipped. His son, Mr Lim Chern Chuen, agreed that it is difficult for his parents, especially his father, to retire. 'Our dinner conversations usually revolve around work,' the HI Mobility chief executive said. 'For him, it's not really work. It's like a passion as well, so it's difficult to take the two apart.' Mr Lim is a big advocate of entrepreneurship. He is proud to have nudged some of the bankers he has met in the past into striking out on their own – and watched them succeed. He said aspiring entrepreneurs do not have to look far. 'Singapore has a financial centre, Malaysia has land and resources. When we look at these two countries, there are plenty of opportunities.' For him, global ambitions start from home, and there is no better launch pad than Singapore and Malaysia. Cheong Poh Kwan is Assistant Business Editor at The Straits Times. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
The Star
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Last call at the PTC track to mark the end of a 161-year legacy
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Turf Club (PTC), Malaysia's oldest horse racing institution, has hosted its final race, marking the end of a 161-year legacy. A large crowd of spectators and punters turned up yesterday at the grandstand located in the 81.75ha site in Batu Gantong. Among them was Penangite Ooi Chee Chong, 43, who stepped into the PTC grounds for the first time on what would be its last official race day. 'I've heard stories from my friends and older colleagues about the races here. They used to come here in the 1960s and '70s, dressed in their Sunday best. It wasn't just about the betting for them; it was a big social outing and people came to see and be seen. 'I never had much interest in horse racing until recently. To be honest, I always thought of the turf club as something from the past, something for older people. 'But when I heard it was closing, I felt a strange sense of urgency as I didn't want to let it disappear without seeing it for myself,' he said. Ooi, who works as a factory purchaser, described the atmosphere as unexpectedly moving. 'Even though it's my first time here, you can feel the emotion in the air. You look around and see old timers saying their goodbyes silently and taking selfies at the grandstand. It hits you because this place means a lot to a lot of people. 'It's a bittersweet moment. There's excitement, but also a sense of loss. It's like closing a chapter of our local heritage. 'Once this land is redeveloped, the entire experience will vanish – the turf, the track, the energy, the stories,' he said. A punter, who wanted to be known only as Cheah, 67, said even if horse racing is revived elsewhere in Penang, it would not be the same. 'This place, with its colonial-era clubhouse and old trees, has a certain soul. You can't recreate that in a new venue. 'I'm glad I came here as it feels like I've touched a part of Penang's past, just before it disappears forever,' he added. Seven races were staged as part of the farewell, including the RM250,000 PTC Farewell Trophy (1,300m race), the RM150,000 PTC Memorial Trophy (1,100m race), and the RM100,000 Jockey Club of Turkey Trophy for the 1,400m race. As the sun sets on PTC, the echoes of cheering crowds and thundering hooves will give way to new developments. PTC president Datuk Ong Eng Khuan said, 'It is with a heavy heart that we had to resort to this measure of ceasing racing operations as we have been incurring losses for many years. 'The club has been struggling with fallen attendance, a drastic drop in racing revenue, lack of participation and interest in horse ownership over the years. 'Horse racing, unfortunately, is no longer attracting the big crowds like it did in the 1950s,' he said in a statement. Ong added that although PTC will cease its racing operations, the entity of Penang Turf Club will remain until its full closure. In June last year, PTC members voted overwhelmingly to dissolve the club and sell its prime land. On April 20 this year, the PTC voted unanimously to close following a Special General Meeting. It confirmed the resolutions passed at the First Special General Meeting on June 10, 2024, to dissolve. The land, adjacent to the upscale Taman Jesselton, is estimated to be worth between RM2bil and RM3bil upon conversion to commercial status. However, the transition from recreational to mixed development use is projected to cost about RM1bil. An initial open tender for the entire property concluded without any qualified bids. The club plans to subdivide the land into smaller parcels to attract a broader range of potential buyers. Civil society groups have raised concerns about the proposed rezoning of the PTC land from a green recreational space to a commercial and mixed development area. They said it could lead to irreversible negative impacts on Penang's environment and infrastructure. Established in 1864, the PTC began its journey on a modest parcel of land, granted free, along Macalister Road (now St George's Girls' School), for the purpose of horse racing. It relocated to its present site in 1939. Die-hard racing fans can look to the Perak Turf Club, established in 1886, and the Selangor Turf Club, founded a decade later in 1896, both of which continue to host regular meets for now.
The Star
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Widow in a rut over unpaid housing loans
PETALING JAYA: It was a proud moment for factory worker R. Devika when her husband signed the documents for their first home, costing RM250,000, in 2012. The lorry driver diligently serviced the housing loan but tragedy struck five years later. A motorcycle accident took his life, leaving his wife to care for their three children with a monthly income of less than RM2,000 from the factory. Distraught and reeling over the loss of her husband, she did not pay much attention to several bank reminders of the unpaid housing loan repayments until a foreclosure notice was delivered six months later. Accompanied by a relative, she visited the bank and was dealt with a second blow when she learned that her husband had not insured the mortgage and the house would be auctioned. Without any savings, Devika, who is in her 40s, was devastated as she faced the loss of her family home in Rawang. Fortunately, her brother-in-law stepped in. He offered to service the loan on condition that he would take ownership of the property once Devika's children reached adulthood. Left with no other choice, she agreed. Devika's situation was related to The Star by a relative of hers, who declined to be named. Unfortunately, she is just among the thousands of Malaysians, especially those from low-income families, who have overlooked the importance of getting a mortgage reducing term assurance or mortgage level term assurance, said insurance consultant Leonard Tan. 'They see it as an additional financial burden rather than an essential protection. 'But such an insurance is a small price to pay for an asset we have worked so hard to own,' he said.
New Paper
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Paper
Penang's farewell Saluted in style
The final chapter in the rich history of the 161-year-old Penang Turf Club (PNTC) was closed on May 31, in front of a big turnout. A larger than usual crowd of around 3,000 - three times the average attendance - turned up at the Batu Gantong track to mark their presence at the historic but sad day for racing fans. Plagued by plummeting turnover and attendances, the PNTC becomes the second Malayan Racing Association turf club to bow out, after the Singapore Turf Club on Oct 5, leaving only the Selangor Turf Club and Perak Turf Club. Asian neighbour, the Macau Jockey Club, also closed its doors on April 1, 2024, unable to square its ledger as well. After four out of five Penang meetings were cancelled in 2025 (before May 31, the only meeting that went ahead was on March 8) due to the perennial reason of insufficient numbers, many hoped the finale would not fall prey to the same logistics concerns. But the Malaysian racing fraternity rallied round in force. With trainers and owners from Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh pledging support by sending up their horses, the PNTC was able to honour its word to not go out without offering its patrons one last treat. Seven races were programmed, with the highlight being the RM250,000 (S$76,000) Penang Turf Club Farewell Trophy, a Special Rapid Stakes A over 1,300m that garnered many top-drawer gallopers, such as Pacific Vampire, Antipodean, Super Salute, Gamestonks, Cheval Blanc and Noah Khan, to name a few. Though three horses were scratched - the Frank Maynard pair of Cheval Blanc and Circuit Mission and Richard Lim's Faithful Leader - a capacity field of 14 still faced the starter, given all three Emergency Acceptors were available - Pacific Padrino, Streets Of Fire and Shirvo. In the end, it was former Singapore Group 2 EW Barker Trophy winner Super Salute ($42) who grabbed the honours after taking the shortest way home along the rails for jockey Khaw Choon Kit to reel in favourite Pacific Vampire (Jerlyn Seow) en route to glory. Sivan Veerapen was proud to be the winning trainer of the last feature race at a place he not only holds fond memories of with many winners, both as a trainer and a jockey, but also for sentimental reasons. "I was born and bred in Penang. That's where I began my racing career as a jockey," said the 60-year-old, who is based at the Selangor Turf Club. "I last came here in December for the Penang Gold Cup meeting and five months later, Penang has already changed so much. There has been much land reclaimed and I even saw a new bridge. "As for today's feature race, I had planned that race for Super Salute. Put it this way, he is one class above the rest, but he also has some issues with his back. "He can be inconsistent, but he's now come right. I wasn't worried about his 59.5kg as I think he can carry 65kg at his best. "I just told Khaw not to rush him, he'll finish strongly - and he did." However, it was the last actual race - and understandably so - that felt more like the real final lap of honour. Without taking anything away from Super Salute, who certainly deserved accolades for his resounding win, Lucky Magic (Shafiq Rizuan) was greeted to an even more rapturous reception, led by trainer Winson Cheng Han Yong - complete with some tears of joy and a custom-made farewell sash. The fairy-tale ending of sorts could not have been scripted any better. Fittingly, Lucky Magic is also the winner of Penang's last classic, the Group 1 Penang Gold Cup (2,000m) in December, and Cheng is, just like Sivan, a hometown boy. "As a Penang boy, I'm so proud I won the last race in my hometown," said Cheng. "I targeted two wins and both horses, Graphjet Express and Lucky Magic won. We were so happy with my owners and friends, and even had a farewell banner. "But at the same time, we can't do anything about it (the closure). I'm sad I won't be coming here to race any more, as I would then visit my mum. "Of course, I'll still visit her, but I'll definitely miss the races here." manyan@
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
guardian launches MYguardian rewards in its guardianMY app
Guardian Malaysia has officially launched MYguardian Rewards, a brand-new, fully digital loyalty programme integrated within its guardianMY app. This innovative platform aims to redefine the everyday shopping experience for Malaysians by offering a gamified and personalised approach centred around well-being. Launched at a vibrant event in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 29 May 2025, featuring a hot air balloon fiesta and a special concert by the iconic hip-hop group KRU, MYguardian Rewards marks a significant step in Guardian's mission to empower Malaysians to 'Own Your Beautiful' through a focus on wellness, value, and everyday enjoyment. Priscilla Wu, Managing Director of Guardian Malaysia and Brunei, stated, 'The MYguardian Rewards platform is more than just a typical loyalty initiative. It's an intuitive digital ecosystem specifically designed for our customers. It's built for YOU, the customers of Guardian, offering immediate, personalised rewards and exclusive experiences with every scan – and best of all, it's FREE.' One App, Instant Rewards: The MYguardian Rewards programme prioritises simplicity and immediate benefits, offering: Instant Points & Rebates: Earn points with every purchase and redeem them instantly both in-store and online. Automatic Contest Entries: Every purchase automatically enters members into contests. Daily Offers: Access to exclusive daily deals. Personalised Birthday Treats: Special rewards during members' birthday month. Student Pass Tuesdays: Students over 21 years old can enjoy an extra 10% discount on Tuesdays by showing their student ID. Generous Sign-Up Bonuses: New members receive 10 times the reward points on their first purchase and a complimentary RM250 Guardian voucher upon registration. A Night to Remember To celebrate the official launch, guardian hosted a special MYguardian Rewards Fiesta at TRX, featuring a soaring hot air balloon experience, interactive booths, and an electrifying concert headlined by legendary hip hop group KRU, making it a night to remember for fans and members alike. A Purpose Beyond Profit 'At guardian, we believe that beauty and wellness go hand in hand with responsibility,' said Priscilla. 'MYguardian Rewards reflects our vision to build a healthier, more empowered community—while making every shopping experience feel like a celebration. We want our customers to 'Own Your Beautiful. Take charge of your well-being, your rewards, and your future.' Sign up for the MYguardian Rewards programme on the guardianMY app today and start earning the rewards you deserve.
