Kinta Properties Group


Dato’ K K Lim
Kinta Properties Group
Dato’ K K Lim, leading the Kinta Properties Group to become one of Ipoh’s largest property developers with the successful development of illustrious projects including Bandar Baru Sri Klebang, Meru Valley Resort, Halaman Meru Impian, Sri Iskandar Technology Park, and the Tambun Business Park.
Born in Tapah in July 1936, Dato’ KK had his early education at the government English School there, followed by secondary education at St Michael’s Institution, Ipoh. He was awarded a Federal scholarship to read Mining Engineering at London University and entered the Royal School of mines at Imperial College in 1956 where he received a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering. He was a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Institute of Mining Engineers.
Returning to Malaysia in 1961, he joined Government service and worked for nine years as Mines Inspector in Ipoh, Batu Gajah and Johor Baru. Subsequent work as a Tin Mining Consultant led to connections that saw him eventually take over Rock Chemical Industries and the Mamut Copper Mine in Sabah.
This led to heady days as a corporate player where he was involved in rescuing ailing companies and acting as a ‘white knight’, injecting profitable assets and relisting them. Gifted with uncanny sixth sense, he sold Palmco and its assets just before the currency crisis hit in 1996. Facing a temporary cash flow bind in 2003, Dato’ KK sold the rest of his holdings and quit the corporate scene for good.
With his penchant for reviving under-performing companies, and in preparation for his ‘retirement’ as he wound down from the corporate world, he started to acquire stakes in 3 high profile ‘ailing’ property projects in Ipoh, Greentown Business Centre, Klebang Industrial Estate (now known as EcoCity in Bandar Baru Sri Klebang) and Meru Valley Golf Resort.The success of these three projects now speak for themselves and is testimony to the skilled entrepreneurship exhibited by Dato’ KK in his business life.