Malaysian casino king passes away

HONG KONG -- As reported by the Forbes: "It all started with a stroll in a virgin highland jungle 5,900 feet above sea level 43 years ago for Lim Goh Tong.

"On that site, he built his first casino and resort, modeled on the hill stations constructed by British expatriates who could not stand the tropical heat of their Asian colonies. From that resort, Genting Highlands, Lim built a vast gaming and tourism empire, the Genting Group, the largest company of its kind in Southeast Asia.

"Malaysia's casino king passed away quietly Tuesday morning at the age of 90 in a Malaysian hospital.

"...Lim ended his extraordinary career as the third-wealthiest man in Malaysia and 204th on Forbes' list of the world's richest people, with a net worth of $4.3 billion. He leaves behind six children and 19 grandchildren.

"He introduced the first casino in Asia, foreseeing the Asian passion for high-stakes games of chance, a full four decades before the current casino boom sweeping across the region. He also founded the first Asian cruise line 14 years ago, Star Cruises, still the largest in the region..."