Big-hearted tycoon Syed Mokhtar honoured

PUTRAJAYA: His parents taught him to provide for the poor and destitute – and those are the values that have shaped billionaire Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary's life philosophy until today.
His philanthropic values were nurtured from the age of 23 when he started a small business dealing in rice.
When he received his first monthly income of RM1,500, his mother had told him to donate half of it to the poor.
“So I kept half for my family while the other half was donated to 15 needy families in my village,” said Syed Mokhtar, 57, this year's recipient of the Tokoh Maal Hijrah.
Not only have the same families benefited from the aid today, but also countless other organisations through the self-made tycoon's Albukhary Foundation.
Thanking his parents for instilling in him such values, Syed Mokhtar heeded Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's suggestion that he donate the cash award of RM80,000 to his mother Sharifah Rokiah Syed Mohamed Rahmat.
“My father is no longer alive, so I will heed the Prime Minister's suggestion made this morning, to give the money to my mother,” he told a press conference after receiving the award from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin during the national-level Maal Hijrah celebration here yesterday.
The philanthropist was also awarded a certificate, medal and plaque.
From 1996 to 2006, his foundation has contributed almost RM1bil to charity.
Syed Mokhtar's business interests, which range from trading to banking and port development, are spread throughout the world.
He has humanitarian projects in Asia and Africa, including rebuilding the lives of Afghan refugees, Pakistan's earthquake survivors and Indonesia's tsunami victims and is now working to establish an AIDS hospital in Uganda.
Among the foundation's initiatives are the Albukhary Tuition Programme for poor underachievers and the Albukhary Scholarship Programme for poor high achievers.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's first man in space, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha, was yesterday bestowed Negri Sembilan's Tokoh Maal Hijrah award.
The bachelor received his award from the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Ja'afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman during the state-level celebration at the Seremban Municipal Council Hall.
“It is a privilege to be awarded the Tokoh Maal Hijrah title. I would like to express my gratitude to the state government for this honour,” he said.

tunku : a very well deserved honour for Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar.What a humble and down to earth billionaire. I met him personally during hari raya puasa, he was so humble,my God.If all the rich people in this world like Tan Sri syed Mokhtar, the world will be a better place especially for the poors.Every year he donates in millions.