“He is truly a Malaysian because he understands the needs of Malaysia. He is the essential Malaysian who is concerned that everybody should move forward together.”
YAB Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad
Prime Minister of Malaysia
Over the last five decades, Tan Sri Limkokwing has been called upon by Malaysia’s Prime Ministers for his talent and expertise, particularly in effectively communicating national messages and cultivating harmony in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country.
As one of Asia’s most respected communications and creative maestros, his vision and guidance has been relied upon both in good times, and during the darkest hours, of Malaysia’s history.
Among his earliest contributions to nation-building was organising Pesta Pembangunan (Development Fest) at Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur in 1974. With the tragedy of the racial riots of May 13, 1969 still fresh in the minds of the public, a 28-year-old Tan Sri Limkokwing was tasked with delivering the New Economic Policy (NEP) in designs that were easily understood and accepted by Malaysians, regardless of race and creed.
The largest such exhibition of its kind in Malaysia, Pesta Pembangunan ‘74 presented Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak’s plan for the future of the nation, over the length and breadth of the national stadium.
More impressive was the fact that Tan Sri Limkokwing was only given several days to visualize the concept of the exhibition and develop a story in a way that would be accepted by a then-divided nation.
In the end, the exhibition helped Malaysian Chinese and Indian communities better understand the full import of the NEP, which was the Prime Minister’s strategy to address Malay concerns that they were losing out on economic opportunities.
“We used a cake to illustrate the point,” Tan Sri Limkokwing said. “We showed how a small cake would not be enough for everybody. And how if you expanded the cake, everyone would have a bigger piece, and there would be more to go around.”
Tan Sri Limkokwing lent his full support to Tun Hussein Onn who took on the responsibility of managing the country’s affairs as Prime Minister, following the untimely demise of Tun Abdul Razak in mid-January 1975.
This included a string of successful campaigns that effectively translated the government’s aspirations to the layman, helping all Malaysians to better understand the numerous policies aimed at rectifying the economic imbalances between the different communities.
It was also during this time that Tan Sri Limkokwing created the satirical ‘Guli-Guli’ cartoon series which communicated the idiosyncrasies of the average Malaysian through the friendship of three memorable characters – namely Bakar, Ah Boo and Muthu.
The modern, progressive Malaysia that the world is familiar with today, began with the comprehensive rebranding exercise carried out during the administration of Tun Dr Mahathir.
In Tan Sri Limkokwing, the maverick Prime Minister had found his creative counterpart - someone who understood what he was trying to achieve.
In the span of over two decades that Tun Dr Mahathir served during his first stint as Prime Minister, Tan Sri Limkokwing’s expertise was at the forefront of many national campaigns covering a wide range of objectives.
In devising slogans like ‘Yakin Boleh’ and ‘Malaysia Boleh’ to communicating ‘Vision 2020’ to all Malaysians, Tan Sri Limkokwing helped in moulding a new generation that not only believed that anything was possible – but actually backed it up with their achievements.
Through ‘Malaysia Incorporated’, ’Made in Malaysia for the World’, and ‘Design Malaysia’, he helped put Malaysia’s goods and services on the world map, and also make the country an international haven for investment.
Tan Sri Limkokwing was intimately linked with the rebranding of major national entities and the branding of many new corporate entities.
The campaigns and projects he worked on during this period will forever be remembered for motivating and inspiring the nation.
Tan Sri Limkokwing assisted Malaysia’s fifth Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in developing a National Mission to raise the country’s capacity for knowledge, creativity and innovation as well as nurture a first-class mentality to match the nation’s aspiration to develop first-class infrastructure.
In line with long-term efforts to achieve the goals of Vision 2020, Tan Sri Limkokwing worked on improving the quality of human capital nationwide – not only in terms of intellect but also character.
This included bridging the digital divide via strategies to bring ICT to rural areas, enhance education and training for the Bumiputera, and to take rural entrepreneurship to a new level with a master plan to set up an integrated hall hub.
Tan Sri Limkokwing continued to support the Malaysian government in nation-building, when Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak, the eldest son of Tun Abdul Razak, became the nation’s sixth Prime Minister.
He helped in developing strategies to further enhance Bumiputera entrepreneurship, including the creation of new avenues for youths to build their skills in high-end technology, as well as introducing mechanisms for youths who were unable to enter university to gain industry skills that would allow them to have high-income careers.
Tan Sri Limkokwing also assisted in the administration’s effort to move the entire economy, the government, and Malaysian society as a whole, further up the value chain.
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