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He is one of Asia’s most well-known communications strategists. He built his campaigns on meaningful message. No better words can describe him than creative and innovative. Ahlan Press was fortunate to hold this special interview with Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing at his office in Limkokwing University Campus recently.
First of all, thanks for giving your time to Ahlan Press.

Tan Sri, we see many foreign students at your university, what’s the ratio of overseas students at Limkokwing University?

We have 140 countries here on this campus. 65% of our students are foreigners, and are mostly from Asia.

Which countries do they come?

From Indonesia, China, India followed by Middle East and some European and the Americas as well.

Can you share with us the latest news about the university?

We currently have a branch in London, but it can take only 600 students, so we are moving to a bigger place soon. Next year we are opening a new branch in New York.

What are the courses available here and not in other college?

You asked about the difference between this university and other universities, those universities are conventional. The British universities were designed a few hundred years ago. And in the Middle East there are many old universities. And in the early days the largest libraries were in the Middle East which was the center of learning and knowledge. Many public universities here were modeled after the British universities, and by nature they were academic. For instance, in the past year, they built universities far away with lakes and beautiful sceneries, but they were far from industry. Today this has changed, because today we are talking about the empowering people with knowledge, with the ability to get along with people, and with the ability to succeed anywhere in the world. I myself have been an industry person before starting this university. And most of my senior people have been in industry.

What make Limkokwing students different from other students? 

When our students go out they are well equipped to run business, we train people to be able to run their business in the future. We have people from 140 countries, and when I talk to them I tell them ; you have to get to know people from at least 100 countries, because you will benefit from this when you go out from business. And your best friends will be your future networks. As you know the best friends are usually the friends you make during your university time, because they accept you for who you are, not because of business. The school over here is designed for people to get along with each other; the classes are designed in a way that will make people from different countries mix with each other.

We noticed that the food court is designed in a special way, why is that?

The food court is not much about the food, but it’s designed for people to get to know each other. All the food outlets are operated by students as a business entity to expose them to the problems of the real business world.

How are the courses here different from other universities? Other universities also have IT and other courses, what’s so different here?

Because we are industry people we have some of the best industry advisors in the country. We also have a recording studio here, an animation studio, a film production studio and a design and multimedia studio.

You said in one interview: We either be innovative or we die. Can you elaborate more?

You read that in newspaper? They picked that up from my blog. All the advanced countries are innovate countries. Some of the countries in Western Europe are very small, but they sell things all over the world, such as Nokia. I have been talking about innovation in this country for 30 years. When I was young I started working with the current prime minister’s father, Tun Razak. I then worked with Tun Mahathir, and then with Pak Lah. We used to be a manufacturing area. Our products now are no longer cheap, so manufacturers moved to China and India. Therefore, we have to create our own brand like the Japanese and the Koreans did. I have been pushing the country toward innovation and creativity. I did say: we either innovate or we evaporate, not die, in the press it’s different. The Japanese after the war adopted the slogan innovate or die. Because they had little resources, they produced goods that are better than the Europeans, they did not invent; they innovated. Koreans sell more hand phones than Nokia, so we have to do the same, otherwise we will fall behind. As a production base, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Indonesia are cheaper. We are not cheap anymore. There fore, we have to move forward, the only way is innovate; produce hand phones, computers, and cars that are better.

Can we be the role model in creative technology for the developing world? We see that Limkokwing has 3 branches in Africa. Is there a specific reason you have 3 branches there?

We went to Africa to help; we used to work in South Africa with Mandela. We go to places where we can help; we work in Cambodia and other underveloped areas.

Are there any plans to work in the Arab world in the future?

We didn’t start in Middle East because in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for example it’s a rich area and there are many investors. We prefer to start in areas that need support.

We heard you are planning to open a branch in Yemen. Is that true?

We have been invited to start in Yemen, Egypt and Lebanon.

We see that you have reserved your place in history as a creative technology man which will be your legacy. Any last words for Ahlan?

Thank you and all the best for Ahlan Press.