Robert Kuok, one of Malaysia’s wealthiest individuals, is the founder of Kuok Group and Shangri-La Hotel Group. He owns a mansion in one of the world’s most expensive neighborhoods and possesses what is considered the world’s most valuable pleasure yacht, the History Supreme. Valued at US$4.8 billion, this vessel features interior decorations made of gold and platinum, with a dinosaur bone mounted on the master bedroom wall.
According to Justice For Myanmar, a human rights organization, Robert Kuok has maintained business relationships with Myanmar’s military junta for over 30 years. Notably, during the 1996 period when the military was violently suppressing democratic student movements, Kuok’s business group signed a land lease agreement with the Myanmar military for Sule Square. Located near Sule Pagoda in downtown Yangon, this development on military-owned land began operations in 2017 under Shangri-La Asia’s management.
While neither Shangri-La Asia nor the Myanmar military has disclosed the amount of land lease payments from this project, Justice For Myanmar suggests it is likely a substantial sum. Additionally, civil society organizations in 2021 called for the removal of Robert Kuok’s niece, Kay Kuok Oon Kwong, from her position as chairperson of the Yale-NUS governing board due to her role as director at Trader Square Company, which manages the Sule Square office and retail project.
Justice For Myanmar has criticized that Robert Kuok’s real estate operations effectively provide financial support to the military regime that has committed numerous crimes, while creating an ‘asset with significant future value’ for the military dictators. Despite the Shangri-La hotels and resorts’ connections to war criminals, the business group continues to maintain its listings on both Hong Kong and Singapore stock exchanges.
