Editor’s note: In a moving tribute to her father the late Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal, his first-born child Felina Mustapha Kamal re-collects precious memories of her strict disciplinarian and larger-than-life father.
TO the property world, Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal – who founded the EMKAY Group – was larger than life, having blazed new trails like no one has ever done before.
This is so much so that his name was intrinsically linked to that of being the “King of Affordable Housing”, having built over 54,000 homes mostly priced below RM100,000 per unit.
His earlier achievements and legacy also included other townships such as Damansara Damai in Petaling Jaya, Selangor and Meru Perdana in Ipoh, Perak.
Named the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) Malaysian Chapter Property Man of the Year 2006 for developing the Damansara Perdana township from scratch while being involved in other developments like Cyberjaya (now valued at over RM2.5 bil via associate companies M K Land Holdings Bhd and Setia Haruman Sdn Bhd), this was by all means no ordinary accomplishment.
An arbitrator known for calling on the Government and developers to promote affordability housing, the EMKAY Group founder back in 1983 had embarked on his maiden development project in Taman Meru Jaya coupled by his first privatised property development project in Bandar Baru Sungai Buloh.
To the corporate world, he was one of the most successful and prominent Bumiputra entrepreneurs in the real estate industry who pioneered the concept of affordable housing.
When M K Land was established, it made its appearance on the Main Board of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange or Bursa Malaysia on Aug 27, 1999 and became one of the largest capitalised property development companies in Malaysia with a paid-up capital of RM1.2 bil following the injection of nine companies privately owned by the tycoon.
The group has, to its credit, built over 60,000 residential, commercial and office units with a combined Gross Development Value (GDV) of RM20 bil.
His caring nature shone through in various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts he undertook, including Yayasan EMKAY, Pulau Banding Foundation and the Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island Foundation.
To his daughter Felina who is the executive chairman of M K Land, he was her entire world. He was her mentor, leader and teacher from when she had first joined the company and he had promptly taken her under his wings.
Remembering her father as a passionate and loving man, Felina fondly noted that he was by no means a pushover and did not suffer fools gladly.
“Above all, he was a great teacher. He guided us instead of instructing us and taught us the value of time, to be humble and kind and to be reasonable in life,” she told FocusM.
Reminiscing how she had to live up to his high standards when working under his tutelage with him drilling into her that “Failure is not an option”, she recalled the pressure she felt, having to fill in her father’s huge shoes.
But learn from the master she did, and now these are the priceless lessons that she will carry with her throughout her life.
Little did she know that those words imparted to by her father so many years ago would serve her well as unbeknown to her, she would one day inherit the empire he had built from ground zero, brick by brick.
The passing of the baton sees Felina confidently handling the public-listed empire her father had built while her brother Ahmad Khalif continues to oversee projects in Cyberjaya which his late father had kickstarted through Setia Haruman Sdn Bhd 36 years ago.
Felina’s two other siblings, Datuk Fazwinna and Fara are also running their late father’s private companies in line with his wish that all of them continue his legacy.
Mustapha’s sense of loyalty extended way beyond his immediate family as he would often be found regaling his friends and family with childhood stories and fond recollections of how his parents, siblings and old friends had impacted his life.
A musician who learned to play by ear, he was also an avid food lover, relishing the occasional nasi kandar or banana leaf meal.
This was the Mustapha Kamal many knew and loved – a larger-than-life man bequeathed with fatherly disposition, quick wit and generous sense of humour.
In Felina’s parting tribute to her dad, she said, “I’m his daughter and employee who loves him very much and respects him in every way. And I will continue his legacy. I am truly going to miss him very much. I love you so much, Dad.” – July 28, 2022
Yvonne Yoong is Focus Malaysia’s contributing Property & Lifestyle Editor, seasoned in covering the property beat and other industries.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main photo credit: Bernama
