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From plastics to property, Malaysia’s Mah Sing builds its business empire on ‘trust capital’

As Mah Sing grows beyond its founder-led roots, Lionel Leong and his sisters are focused on raising standards

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Tan Ai Leng

Tan Ai Leng

Published Mon, Mar 16, 2026 · 07:00 AM
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    • For Lionel Leong, deputy group CEO of Mah Sing, the challenge of second-generation leadership is defined not by outworking others, but by earning credibility through results.
    • For Lionel Leong, deputy group CEO of Mah Sing, the challenge of second-generation leadership is defined not by outworking others, but by earning credibility through results. PHOTO: JENNY LOW

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    Inside Asia’s family empires: How they are transforming to seize the next stage of growth

    [KUALA LUMPUR] Long before Mah Sing Group became a RM2.8 billion (S$907.4 million) listed developer and one of Malaysia’s best-known property brands, Lionel Leong knew it simply as the family business – the plastics factory he visited as a 10-year-old and the property project sites he occasionally toured with his father.

    “It never crossed my mind to work with my father. He never pressured us to join the company when we were young,” said the 36-year-old deputy group chief executive officer and executive director of Mah Sing Group.

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