![[UPDATED] Emkay Group founder Mustapha Kamal dies at 73](https://media.thevibes.com/images/uploads/covers/_large/20220725-mustapha_kamal_mk_land-The_Brand_Laureate_pic.jpg)
KUALA LUMPUR – Emkay Group founder Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar died at 7.45am today at a hospital here. He was 73.
Mustapha, who was once dubbed the “King of Affordable Housing”, was said to have died of old age.
His daughter Felina Mustapha Kamal told Astro Awani that her father’s body is still at the National Heart Institute and the family is preparing for his funeral scheduled later today. She is also the executive chairman of MK Land Holdings Bhd.
She told Bernama that her father’s remains arrived at their Petaling Jaya home at 10.15am for funeral arrangements and will be buried at Bukit Kiara Muslim cemetery after zohor prayers.
Mustapha was born on March 8, 1949 in Kg Changkat, Pusing in Perak.
He was a history student at Universiti Malaya, completing his studies in 1970. Later he was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2012 by Universiti Utara Malaysia for his contributions to the property sector.
According to Emkay Group’s corporate website, Mustapha started his career as a civil servant serving in Selangor’s district offices.
He first ventured into property development as general manager of Shah Alam Properties Sdn Bhd (now SAP Holdings Bhd), a subsidiary of Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Bhd.
In that role, he was responsible for developing a 300-acre piece of land, which included a nine-hole golf course (Darul Ehsan Club) at Taman Tun Abdul Razak in Ampang Jaya.
Years later, he was appointed as a special officer to then Selangor menteri besar Datuk Hormat Rafei. He then left Shah Alam Properties to start his own company, setting up what became the Emkay Group in 1983.
He is often credited for developing Damansara Perdana and Cyberjaya, which were then known as Bukit Lanjan and Kg Air Terentang respectively, as well as Mutiara Damansara.
He also made his name in the property sector when he started MK Land Holdings on August 2, 1978 and listed the company in the 1990s.
He often said that it was his vision to build affordable and quality homes for the average Malaysian as the basic human need of having a shelter should be made possible for all.
The magnate also founded three foundations – Yayasan Emkay, Pulau Banding Foundation and the Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island Foundation. – The Vibes, July 25, 2022
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