#Latest* Malaysia's Condo King creates history again

Tong (left) receives the award of Honorary FIABCI
World President from Kurass, and witnessed by her
son, Brandon, at the FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Awards 2010
Gala Dinner in The Westin Resort, Bali, Indonesia

KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Kiara Properties Sdn Bhd (BKP)’s Group Chairman, Datuk Alan Tong Kok Mau, made history again in the international real estate fraternity when he was bestowed the Honorary FIABCI World President award.

According to a statement on May 27, he received the special award from Lisa Kurass, FIABCI World President 2009-10 during the FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Awards 2010 Gala Dinner in conjunction with the organisation’s 61^st World Congress in The Westin Resort, Bali, Indonesia.

Tong was appointed to this role due to his distinguished and outstanding service and leadership to FIABCI and the international real estate industry.

Tong has been instrumental in leading the body “into the future” and redefining the goal of the global real estate industry, FIABCI said in an announcement. FIABCI is the French acronym for International Real Estate Federation.

Under the FIABCI Statutes 5.1 clause “Honorary Members are individuals who, in the judgement of the Board, have rendered eminent services to FIABCI”. An Honorary Member award by the FIABCI Board is the highest and most esteemed recognition a FIABCI member can receive.

Having dedicated more than five decades to international and local real estate development, Tong expressed his gratitude to the FIABCI Board for presenting him with the Honorary Title. “It is always in my mind to play a part in advancing the development and interests of the real estate industry. I will continue to dedicate my time and resources in promoting FIABCI through the Asia Pacific Regional Secretariat,” said Tong, who was also the former World President.

To recap, Tong has done the country proud by becoming the first and only Malaysian to ascend to the post of World President in FIABCI’s 56-year history.

During his one-year tenure as World President, Tong has successfully increased the membership of FIABCI Malaysia by five times and added a number of Chapters to the organisation, giving FIABCI an even greater global reach.

He also initiated the formation of the FIABCI Asia Pacific Regional Secretariat in Kuala Lumpur. With this secretariat, Tong led the concept of regionalisation, which is being embraced throughout the world as a new FIABCI structure.

An architectural graduate from the University of Sydney, Tong formed a private property development company in 1968. His accomplishments with the latter have earned him the title “Condo King of Malaysia” when he turned acres of rubber estate land near the fringe of Sri Hartamas into one of the country’s most exclusive and premium residential addresses back in 1990, now known as Mont’Kiara.

In 2000, Tong together with his son, N K, formed BKP to embark on niche and innovative real estate developments.