- Forbes Asia names Malaysian billionaire Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah among its top 10 Asia-Pacific philanthropists for creating one of Malaysia’s largest education endowments at Sunway University.
- Cheah pledges RM500 million over five years, adding to the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation’s RM967 million in scholarships and grants since 2010, set to surpass RM1 billion by 2026.
- The Sunway Group founder joins regional philanthropic giants, including China’s semiconductor tycoon Yu Renrong and Singapore’s UOB founding family, in Forbes Asia’s 2025 list.
Forbes Asia has identified Malaysian billionaire and Sunway Group founder Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Fook Ling for the establishment of one of Malaysia's biggest education endowments at Sunway University, naming him in the list of 10 Asia-Pacific philanthropists in its 19th annual list.
The list profiles 10 significant philanthropists and families in the Asia-Pacific region who make substantial, personal donations to charitable causes; for most, better access to education has remained the top priority, a trend continuing into this year's cohort.
In November, Cheah committed RM500 million over five years to establish one of Malaysia’s largest education endowments at Sunway University, which he founded in 2004 modelled after institutions such as the UK’s Harvard and Morocco’s al-Qarawiyyin.
Cheah's pledge represents the latest in a long line of efforts by him to support education. Since 2010, his Jeffrey Cheah Foundation has given over RM967 million in scholarships and grants and aims to exceed RM1 billion by 2026.
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Founded by Cheah in 1974 as a tin-mining company, Sunway transformed a mining wasteland into Sunway City Kuala Lumpur in the 1980s. Today, it stands as one of Southeast Asia’s biggest conglomerates with a wide range of businesses that include property, healthcare, construction, real estate investment trusts, leisure, hospitality, trading, manufacturing, and building materials.
“I have always believed that each and every one of us must have a higher purpose in life”, Cheah said in an email. “For me, this higher calling is a commitment to giving back to society in a meaningful and impactful manner for the benefit and wellbeing of our future generations”.
Other well-known names in the list, that was published in the Forbes Asia magazine in its December 2025 issue, include semiconductor billionaire Yu Renrong from China and the founding family of United Overseas Bank, Wee Ee Cheong and Wee Wei Ling from Singapore.
