Biography of Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary

Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary was born in Alor Setar, Kedah in 1951 at middle class family. His family hailed from Hadhramaut, ‎Yemen. Before deciding to live in Kedah, his father traveled as far as Central Asia to ‎trade. Then, his father went to Thailand, before finally deciding to live in Alor Setar, ‎Kedah in the mid 1940’s. This business leader has seven siblings and he is the third child. Shortage of money led his ‎family to send him to live with his uncle, Syed Omar in Johor Bahru, to study there. Syed Mokhtar lived in Johor Bharu and continued his studies there until form two, before ‎returning to Kedah to study up to form five at Saint Micheal’s School.‎ His success story in business began by helping his parents in cattle business around 1960-an. However, this did not last long due to the outbreak of disease which hit their livestock. Hence, Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar took other initiative by applying for MARA’s assistance to start a lorry business in the 1970s. The lorry company which is known as “Syarikat Kenderaan Sentosa”  now owns more than 40 lorries.

Know as a man with a vision, his efforts did not stop at that point. In 1974, Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar bought his first shop house under the hire-purchase agreement with Urban Development Authority of Malaysia (UDA).

The next year, he expanded his business empire by establishing Shah Company, known as a rice supplier to FELDA, MARA Senama, Pernas Edar and Sergam Sdn Bhd after having succeeded in obtaining the rice trading license from Lembaga Padi Negara or BERNAS. Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar described his achievement in business was the outcome of government’s initiative in implementing the New Economy Policy (NEP).

Since then, Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar’s business continued to expand rapidly until he was awarded as one of the richest Bumiputera corporate figure in Malaysia, received recognition from Malaysian Business as the seventh richest man in Malaysia in 2005 and recently named as the fiftieth richest man by Forbes in 2013.

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary is one of Malaysia’s most recognised and successful business figures. With a large and heavily-diversified business portfolio, he brings exceptional knowledge, experience and foresight in managing diverse business environments. Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar’s breakthrough into mainstream corporate activities came in the 1990’s, with controlling interests in several public-listed companies including Johore Tenggara Oil Palm Berhad and Johor Port Berhad. As a prominent corporate figure in Malaysia, with an estimated net worth valued at US$2.5 billion according to Forbes, Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar manages the core of his multi-billion dollar empire via a well-diversified portfolio, driven primarily through three investment vehicle companies - MMC Corporation Berhad, DRB-Hicom Berhad and Tradewinds (M) Berhad. Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar tried to look from another point of view and cause great idea. MMC Corporation Berhad’s primary businesses lie within three sub-divisions: energy and utilities, airports, ports and infrastructure, and engineering and construction. MMC is the largest shareholder of Gas Malaysia Berhad, and also manages the operations of Port of Tanjung Pelepas (Malaysia's largest container terminal). Its engineering and construction division has established itself as a leading player in the industry with several key developments including the innovative Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) motorway, the first-of-its-kind, dual purpose tunnel in the world.

Through DRB-Hicom Berhad, Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar and his AlBukhary Group of Companies have expanded the business into the automotive manufacturing, assembly and distribution industry; Islamic banking and financial services; property asset and construction services in residential, commercial, hospitality and integrated townships projects. Tradewinds (M) Berhad focuses on the plantation agricultural industry. It is one of the largest plantation operators in Malaysia, controlling a substantial land bank. They manage oil palm and rubber plantations, and are also involved in sugar refining and rice distribution. Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar also has business interests in the media, garment distribution and retail, information technology, and hotels and property development industries.

His capabilities and strengths in business diversification and access to a large network of critical resources will be integral to the growth of Tradewinds International. In this context, Syed Mokhtar's bold foresight to create another world view.

Integrity means having strong moral principles, ethical standardsand hold on to what one’s values and beliefs. For Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary,he has strong moral principles in helping those who are in need and has strong belief towards his religion, Islam. That is why Yayasan Al-Bukhary was establised in March 1996. To help the poor, partiularly in education and islamic. Until today, Yayasan al-Bukhary has spent more than RM300 million for religious, cultural ‎and educational activities. The foundation not only provides aid to people of this country, ‎but also countries that are members in the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).‎ Among the biggest projects ever conducted was the construction of the Kompleks al-‎Bukhary costing RM400 million in Kedah. Last 6 September 2009, Yayasan Al-Bukhary donated AS$1 million to the Lebanese ‎Humanitarian Fund in order to lessen the burden suffered by people of that country, who ‎are victims of Israel’s atrocity. His strong moral principles also helps non-Islamic based organisations.

For example, around RM1 million was donated by the foundation for the Langkawi ‎Project, an effort spearheaded by the MCA, in the area of education, particularly in ‎providing scholarships to financially needy students from rural areas.

Although he enjoy the success as the nation’s number one bumiputera conglomerate ‎figure, he has not forgotten his responsibility to help his Muslim brethrens. In fact, Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhari warned to be cautious with the blessings that God has bestowed. "Sometimes the blessings we can be harmful to us. We have to control so as not to damage our favor. Yayasan Al Bukhary be a place to put the surplus that can damage ourselves, "said Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhari. Foundation (Islam) Al-Bukhary which he founded was build and manage Islamic Arts Museum worth RM70 million in Kuala Lumpur. Until now, al-Bukhary Foundation spent more than RM300 million for religious activities, culture and education. In addition, al-Bukhary Foundation only finance poor students.  Among the initiatives undertaken to finance the poor Muslim students from across ASEAN to study in Malaysia.

In 2000, al-Bukhary Foundation donated a total of RM775 million to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, which is a famous center of Islamic learning in the world. Al-Bukhary Foundation is also currently assisting the Institute of Educational Development (MIED) in the project for establishing the Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology Asia (AIMST) in Sungai Petani, Kedah. Al-Bukhary Foundation involvement in projects initiated by non-Muslims are also highlighted. Although al-Bukhary Foundation has more emphasis on charitable projects that characterized Islam, it still contributes to projects run by non-Muslim organizations. For example, al-Bukhary Foundation contributed RM1 million for Langkawi Project, which was initiated by the MCA project to raise funds for carrying out educational projects in rural areas and also provide scholarships to needy students.

God created man to have the same, only the maturation process that distinguishes me. I believe anyone can be anything as long as they persevere.

But of course it takes time. I myself through bitter and tasted everything to get to this point. It's about know how or know who? When I first started dealing not know anyone there. But after I developed this business indeed know who it was important factors as well. Other nations do not why but the Malays in dealing with people affected by political contiguous little. Focus Before diversify Commerce. He advises entrepreneurs to focus on the commercial in advance so that a stable and profitable before diversify commerce. He diversify commerce after the first commercial he has been stable and profitable. “The first commercial needs before you diversify commerce firm so that if a new commercial that we did not go forward, then we should go back to the first commercial we undertake”. -Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary.

In conclusion, Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary is a very reliable person since he was young. His family depends almost everything on him, especially on financial needs. Knowing that he was from a poor family back then. He helped his mother planting and selling vegetables in the market and also selling roti canai. His numeric knowledge was used to help his father in doing daily book keeping. After finishing school, he helped his father in breeding cow business but only to see the business washed away by foot and mouth disease. Nevertheless, he took over the business and start over by selling meats. He then move on to packaging the meats and start selling them wholesale. Overall, he is a thrustworthy and dependable person to his family.