KUALA LUMPUR (June 1): Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing, the man behind one of Malaysia’s most well-known universities that bears his name, passed away aged 75.

FreeMalaysiaToday reported that Lim’s aide confirmed the news today, but declined to provide further details.

Last week, the artist, entrepreneur and educationalist was reported to have been hospitalised after suffering a fall, but was in stable condition.

Lim dabbled in many fields before he founded Limkokwing University of Creative Technology.

He began his career as an illustrator, pioneering Malaysia and Singapore’s first locally produced serialised comic strip, ABU, in the now-defunct Eastern Sun newspaper.

Lim would then move into advertising, working with McCann-Erickson for five years, before starting his own company Wings Creative Consultants in 1975.

The company would become one of the top agencies in Malaysia, where in 1988 it partnered with one of the largest multinational creative agencies in the world — Batten, Barton, Durstine, and Osborn (BBDO).

Lim would finally turn his eye to education, founding the Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology (later renamed Limkokwing University of Creative Technology) in 1991, which became the first private college to be recognised as a university college in 2002. 

The University boasts 13 campuses around the world with the Cyberjaya campus being home to 30,000 students from nearly 165 countries, according to its website.