Loh family transfers stake in Oriental Holdings to another vehicle, leaving out some members

• Filing with Bursa Malaysia on June 11 (Tuesday) shows that a total of 227.91 million shares, representing a 36.74% stake, were transferred from Pacific Carnival Sdn Bhd to Soaring Success as part of an internal restructuring of the Loh family's private companies.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 12): Soaring Success Sdn Bhd, a company linked to the Loh family, has emerged as the largest shareholder in Oriental Holdings Bhd (KL:ORIENT), while some family members have been excluded from ownership.

Filing with Bursa Malaysia on June 11 (Tuesday) shows that a total of 227.91 million shares, representing a 36.74% stake, were transferred from Pacific Carnival Sdn Bhd to Soaring Success as part of an internal restructuring of the Loh family's private companies.

This shake-up has raised eyebrows, as certain Loh family members no longer have a deemed interest following the capital distribution by Pacific Carnival to Soaring Success.

Soaring Success is owned by Loh Kar Bee Holdings Sdn Bhd, which is controlled by Loh Kar Bee, the son of the late Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew, according to the Companies Commission of Malaysia.

Oriental Holdings' filings indicate that Datuk Loh Kian Chong, along with Loh Oon Ling and Loh Wei-Lyn, remain substantial shareholders through Soaring Success.

Kian Chong, the grandson of the late Boon Siew, serves as the executive chairman of Oriental Holdings, while Wei-Lyn is the daughter of Boon Siew’s late son Loh Kah Kheng and his widow Shirley Kathreyn Yap.

Additionally, Loh Gim Ean Holdings Sdn Bhd and Loh Phoy Yen Holdings Sdn Bhd, the private vehicles of Boon Siew’s daughters Loh Gim Ean and Loh Phoy Yen, have ceased to be shareholders in the company.

Others who are no longer holding shares are Oriental Holdings’ executive director Datuk Seri Wira Tan Hui Jing, joint managing director Datuk Seri Lim Su Tong @ Lim Chee Tong, Datuk Lim Kean Seng, Tan Hui Ming, Lim Ee Hean, and Lim Ee Ling.

Based on a slew of Bursa Malaysia announcements since late February, The Edge had in April reported that the Penang-based members of the Loh family have joined hands to put their shareholding under a new holding company called Pacific Carnival, which replaced Boon Siew Sdn Bhd as the single-largest shareholder in Oriental Holdings.

With the latest announcement, it is not immediately clear why a further shareholding restructuring occurred, resulting in the majority stake of Oriental Holdings now being transferred from Pacific Carnival to Soaring Success.

Oriental Holdings started out as the first distributor and assembler of Honda vehicles in Malaysia and later expanded into oil palm plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia; and the acquisition of hotels and resorts in Australia and New Zealand as well as properties for development and reclamation projects as part of the group’s land bank for future development.

For the first quarter ended March 31, 2024, the group’s net profit jumped to RM319.48 million from RM94.24 million a year earlier, as revenue increased to RM1.19 billion from RM964.41 million.

Shares of Oriental Holdings closed unchanged at RM6.89 on Tuesday, giving the company a market capitalisation of RM4.27 billion.

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