Mirzan Mahathir the eldest son of the
Prime Minister
of Malaysia,
Mahathir Mohamad, is a
director of at least eight companies traded
on the
Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. His
private company
Peringkat Prestasi holds
many of his investments including a large
stake in
Lion Corporation. But his main
interest is
Konsortium Perkapalan Bhd, a
listed haulage and logistics company which
controls almost half of Malaysia's
road
freight market.
Mirzan Mahathir graduated in 1987 with
an MBA from the Wharton School of Business
at the University of Pennsylvania in the
US. He then took up a post at Salomon
Brothers in the US, as an associate in
testing analytical and trading strategies.
After his return to Malaysia in 1990, he
went into transportation sector. In 1992,
he bought into Konsortium Perkapalan Bhd
and turned it into a major logistics company.
In 1996, Konsortium Perkapalan Bhd clinched
the deal to buy Hongkong-based Pacific Basin
Bulk Shipping, and add sea-based link to the
land-based logistics company. Subsequent to
the economic crisis in 1998, MISC bought
Pacific Basin and all the other sea-based
shipping assets of Konsortium Perkapalan
Bhd.
Searches made at the Registry of Companies
at the end of 1994, show Mirzan had interests
in 98 companies.
It has been published that Mirzan
Mahathir is director of two companies
awarded privatisation projects by the
Malaysian Government.
Konsortium Perkapalan Bhd who takeover
of 60 per cent equity of Pernas in Perbadanan
Nasional Shipping Line Bhd, and Taff Hotel
Sdn Bhd who was awarded the Tanjung Jara
Beach Hotel Sdn Bhd project.
after
The New Sunday Times, June 21, 1998,
"Recipients of privatised projects"
Singapore Business Times, July 13, 1998,
"The Mirzan Mahathir story"
The Asian Wall Street Journal, October 16, 1998,
"Mahathir Is No Suharto"