[2014.01.08] REMARRIED AT AGE 90, WORTH OVER 10 BILLION

Sir Run Run Shaw and Mona Fong wed in 1997

Sir Run Run Shaw's first wife Wong Mei Chun was from Singapore and had four children, including Shaw So Wan in the photo.
courtesy of mingpao.com

Sir Run Run Shaw (Siu Yat Fu) yesterday passed away in his 100's. Reportedly his doctor, Hong Kong University microbiology professor Yuen Kwok Yung called an ambulance to the United emergency room. After the emergency room doctor's examination at 8:30AM his death was confirmed. United Hospital yesterday said that the patient earlier through his doctor's network switched to participate in the hospital's "home hospice plan". The plan mainly services terminal organ failure or cancer patients. The patient after the hospice department doctor's diagnosis could according to his own and his family's wishes "choose to spend the final days in a home environment".

The hospital said that plan participants would receive a signed document from the doctor. When the patient passed away at home, the family could follow the doctor's instructions on the document to arrange for transport to a specified emergency room. Then the doctor would conduct the death confirmation process and sign the death certificate. The plan spared the patient from the required autopsy process after passing away at home. The hospital sent its deepest sympathies to the patient's family.

Reportedly, Hong Kong University asked Siu Yat Fu for a donation. Because Siu was already old, he left the donation matter to his wife Fong Yat Wa. Yuen became familiar with Fong Yat Wa due to the donation effect and became Siu Yat Fu's doctor. He also arranged for the medical process in case Siu passed away at home.

Baptist University Physical Education department assistant professor Lui Hung Tak and the geriatric specialist doctor Sheh Tat Ming both said that Siu Yat Fu enjoyed a long life mainly due to his good genes. As long as the genes did not suddenly change into cancer, with a healthy diet and good living habits, avid exercises life could not prolonged. Sheh Tat Ming said, the elder should pay attention to control high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol. If all high risk factors were under control, they could be helpful to a healthy and long life.

Siu Yat Fu loved his wives. There were two "Aunt Six". His marriage with his original wife Wong Mei Chun lasted over half a century; his second marriage took place ten years after Wong Mei Chun's passing, in 1997 at age 90 he wed his companion of decades Mona Fong Yat Wa in the U.S. When Uncle Six retired in 2010 he even handed the TVB chief post to Fong Yat Wa.

Uncle Six's first wife Wong Mei Chun was from Singapore. They wed in 1937 in Singapore and had two sons and two daughters, as well as 12 grandchildren. Wong passed away in the U.S. in 1987 at age 85. Uncle Six described Wong Mei Chun. "She was the world's best wife......it's very hard to find such a good wife in the entire world! She completely understood me, she understood my life! My family is very happy! Very harmonious!" Recalling their romance, he said that because he was lonely while working in Singapore he naturally would meet girls. After meeting Wong Mei Chun they wed. In 1984 Wong after brain surgery in the U.S. was recovering there. Then in October 87 she passed away. Uncle Six made donations under his wife's names to education and medical causes on numerous occasions.

Siu Yat Fu's second wife Fong Yat Wa was a famous 1950s singer. In 1969 she joined the Shaw Brothers and worked in the purchasing department. Early on she mainly took care of the Shaw House studio and has been Uncle Six's right hand. Then in 1988 Fong Yat Wa became a TVB board director and participated in the TVB kingdom business. Then she and Uncle Six registered their marriage in Las Vegas in May 1997. Uncle Six officially chose Fong Yat Wa to be his successor.

When Uncle and Aunt Six wed he was already 90 and she was 63. Their wedding took place in a little white chapel in Vegas. Fong's wedding ring had a five karat diamond and she also had roses. After the wedding Uncle Six said that originally they only went to Las Vegas for vacation, because the weather was good they wed. After marriage they often held hands on dates and were very loving.

Fong Yat Wa in 2001 officially joined the board as the vice chair. Then in January 2010 Uncle Six retired. Fong Yat Wa officially took over as TVB CEO and in 2011 she completed the sale of TVB.

Uncle Six aside from Fong Yat Wa also had many young beauties in his company in public like Shirley Cheung Yuk Shan, Nadia Chan Chung Ling and Jojo Cho Chung. They were by his side and took care of Uncle Six; every year at the TVB anniversary lighting ceremony, Uncle Six would bring the current Miss Hong Kong to the stage. This move gradually became another symbol of Uncle Six.

Siu Yat Fu has ruled in the film, television and business world for 80 years. Aside from owning two public companies Shaw Brothers (went private in 2009) and TVB (0511), he also had properties in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as investments in Europe and America. As Siu Yat Fu grew older, in recent years he has been liquidating his asset. According to a conservative estimate, his personal and family company had at least over 1 billion in assets.

As the film and television tycoon of a generation, at its peak Siu Yat Fu owned 3 public companies, but in 1996 he sold all of the TVEI shares to South China Morning Post (0583). Siu Yat Fu made 335 million from dividends.

In 2009 he for HK$1.33 billion turned Shaw Brothers that had 26% TVB share private; in 2011 the "shell king" Chan Kwok Keung, HTC founder Cher Wang and Providence Equity Partners formed a company to purchase 100% of the Shaw Brother shares and a Clearwater Bay property for 8.6 billion. Siu Yat Fu bought back the Shaw Brothers' Tseung Kwan O New Shaw House but never revealed that price.

According to annual reports and other information, the Tseung Kwan O New Shaw House was 820,000 square feet. if each square foot was worth 1500 to 2000, the property alone was worth 1.2 to 1.6 million. With the construction cost of 1.3 billion, the new Shaw House might already be worth 3 billion. With 8.6 billion from the Shaw Brothers sale, he already had over 10 billion. In addition, Siu Yat Fu's Shaw Fund now still holds 15.95 million shares of TVB, as of yesterday its 50.1 market share price they were worth almost 800 million.

Siu Yat Fu's family was also active in property investment, buying up a massive amount of properties in Hong Kong. Some were used for cinemas. In recent years most of the valuable properties have been sold gradually, including the Rex Theatre in Mongkok (now Rex MPM shopping center) and the formerly Bonds Theatre and Bonds entertainment complex in Kwun Tong. The Bonds Theatre was sold in 2009 for 218 million. In addition, the base of the Pearl City building in the heart of Causeway Bay, the JP Plaza theater (now JP Causeway Bay Theater) remained in Aunt Six Mona Fong Yat Wa's original name Lee Mung Lan. According to the land registry, the address in 1991 was sold internally for 260 million. Its current market estimate would be over 1 billion.

As for the Siu Yat Fu family's latest investment, Siu Yat Fu charitable foundation's Shaw Holdings Inc. in November purchased 60% share and debts of the Kowloon Rosedale Hotel in Tai Kok Tsui. The hotel is worth an estimated 1.285 billion.

Aside from Hong Kong, Siu Yat Fu's family also had many investments in Singapore. Singapore's Shaw House was Siu Yat Fu privately owned. In addition in 1991 he bought 10.3% share in Macy's for US$50 million but never revealed if he ever sold it.