Green Assembly Asia Environment:Climate Change

SAID to be Indonesia’s 3rd richest man with a personal fortune of US$2.8 billion, Eka Tjipta Widjaja came from China to Indonesia as a child and started his business career as a biscuit salesman, but pulp, paper and palm oil became the source of his fortune.

After examining his exploits and career we have no hesitation in including Eka Tjipta Widjaja in the Green Assembly Hall of Fame. Though somewhat lacking in formal education, he is by no means illiterate and will have known for many years the effect of his business activities on global warming and the world’s climate. 

An unscrupulous man with an overwhelming desire for self-enrichment at any price, Eka founded the Sinar Mas Group, which was one of Indonesia’s largest conglomerates during the country’s New Order period.

According to Wikipedia His flagship bank, Bank International Indonesia, bankrolled many of the other ventures that made him at one time the king of copra.

The Sinar Mas Group also owns the Singaporean-listed Asian Pulp and Paper. APP has been convicted of illegal logging in Cambodia, Yunnan Province and other provinces of China, as well as the illegal felling of over 200 Km2 of forest in Bukit Tigapuluh National Park, home of the endangered Sumatra Tiger.

His Bank International Indonesia went under during the 1997-98 economic crisis with debts of $9.7 billion and was seized by the government. APP defaulted on massive debt in 2001.

Wikipedia says Eka Tjipta Widjaja is polygamous and is known to have many official wives and unofficial relationships with countless women. He is rumoured to have sired more than 40 children, though Forbes attributes him with only 15.

He has retired from the limelight and has handed over some of his business to three of his children including Indra, Teguh and Franky. His grandson Eric Oei Kang headed up the Hong Kong-listed construction company Creator Holdings.

Sinar Mas and its listed Asia Food & Properties company are still “in the family”.

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