KUALA LUMPUR: Forbes recent list of the 48 most interesting and generous philanthropists in Asia has seen five Malaysians make the grade. According to Forbes.com, Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan, Mohd Kassim Sulong, Miliee Kassim, Tan Sri Dr Mohan Swami and Tan Sri Vincent Tan are on the inaugural Forbes Asia Heroes of Philanthrophy list. Quek, 68, chairs the Hong Leong Foundation, an organisation which gives out US$1.6mil (S$2.0mil) a year in scholarships to undergraduates and disabled students and to school building projects and entrepreneurship programs. Quek is the head of conglomerate Hong Leong group, which controls 14 listed companies involved in financial services, manufacturing, distribution, property and infrastructure development. Mohd Kassim, 76, and Miliee, oversee the Kassim Chin Humanity Foundation, spending US$100,000 (RM317,680) a year to run after-school learning centers in poor areas and motivational camps for schoolchildren. The couple plans to open a US$10mil (RM31.8mil) international boarding school on the east coast to offer free vocational training. Mohd Kassim is the co-founder of accounting firm Deloitte Kassim Chan and Miliee is director of property manager and investor Harta Setia. Doctor-turned-businessman Mohan, 60, started the Swami-Rathinambal Foundation to aid poor families and students and to support spiritual causes. He also donated an undisclosed sum to an institute that provides medical training and research grants in collaboration with Johns Hopkins Medicine of the United States. Mohan chairs property companies Turiya and Chase Perdana, and is the founder of Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine. Tan, 60, is the chairman of Berjaya Group, a multi-million dollar company listed on Bursa Malaysia. He stepped down from active role at his conglomerate and now devotes much of his time to his foundation, especially its efforts to improve the country's level of English fluency.
