Syed Al Bukhari

Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary is currently the richest bumiputra corporate figure with many interest in diversified business areas which include transportation and logistics, plantations, property development, defense and armory as well as engineering and power generation. He is also a symbolic figure that holds philosophy that 'education does not guarantee success in life, but hard work does', and he's a walking proof of that. Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhari was born into a mid-low class family in north of peninsular Malaysia; whose house was without necessities and luxuries. His highest education was only until form five, and he never went to university. But that doesn't mean he's lacked of knowledge. A whole lot of his knowledge and experience was gained through his own entrepreneurship experience during his youth time. Due to his family's mediocre-to-poor background, Syed Mokhtar al Bukhary had to step into the working world in his early life, while pursuing his primary and secondary studies. Syed Mokhtar helped his mother planting and selling vegetables in the market and also selling roti canai. His numeric knowledge was used to help his father in doing daily book keeping. After finishing school, Syed Mokhtar helped his father in breeding cow business but only to see the business washed away by foot and mouth disease. Nevertheless, he took over the business and start over by selling meats. He then move on to packaging the meats and start selling them wholesale. His determination paid off and the business started to take off. As his determination starting to skyrocket, he quickly moved to expand into diversification of other businesses. His next big move was in the logistics business, with initial goal to transport their trading materials. More success followed and he moved to rice trading business. He worked even harder after awarded the rice trading license from Lembaga Padi Negara, and was later awarded successions of supplier contract