HONG KONG – Hong Kong and Macao's highest-profile officials and business people paid their respects on Friday to late casino magnate Stanley Ho Hung-sun, who built a business empire from scratch in the former Portuguese colony and became one of Asia's richest men.
The billionaire founder of SJM Holdings died at Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital on May 26 at the age of 98.
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The three-day funeral rituals for Ho began on Wednesday. A public memorial was held on Thursday and a public funeral procession was held on Friday.
Pallbearers carry the casket of late tycoon Stanley Ho at his funeral in Hong Kong on July 10, 2020. The pallbearers comprise vice-chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee Tung Chee-hwa (front right) and Edmund Ho Hau-wah (front left), Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Deputy Director the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong Tan Tieniu, Macao's Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai-nong, Chairman and CEO of the Bank of East Asia David Li Kwok-po, Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited Charles Lee Yeh-kwong and Hopewell Holdings Chairman Gordon Wu Ying-sheung. (EDMOND TANG/CHINA DAILY)
The pallbearers comprised vice-chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee Tung Chee-hwa and Edmund Ho Hau-wah, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Deputy Director the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong Tan Tieniu, Macao's Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai-nong, Chairman and CEO of the Bank of East Asia David Li Kwok-po, Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited Charles Lee Yeh-kwong and Hopewell Holdings Chairman Gordon Wu Ying-sheung, Macau News reported quoting a statement from Mazarine Asia Pacific communication group.
Ho presided over the transformation of once-sleepy Macao into the world's biggest casino center, outpacing the United States' Las Vegas strip.
Pansy Ho, daughter of late tycoon Stanley Ho, expresses gratitude to people who have sent their condolences at Stanley Ho's funeral in Hong Kong, July 10, 2020. (EDMOND TANG/CHINA DAILY)
Shielded from challengers by a four-decade monopoly on gambling, Ho grew his operations into one of the world's most lucrative gaming businesses through his flagship firm SJM Holdings, valued at about US$6 billion.
His privately held company Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau, or STDM, has stakes in everything from luxury hotels to helicopters and horse racing.
At Ho's one-hour funeral ceremony, black suited guests, including many local tycoons, donned face masks. White flower wreaths from well-wishers filled the funeral parlour.
Vice-Chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee Tung Chee-hwa deliveres a eulogy at late tycoon Stanley Ho's funeral in Hong Kong, July 10, 2020. (EDMOND TANG/CHINA DAILY)
Director of the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong Luo Huining arrives for the funeral of late Macao tycoon Stanley Ho at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point, Hong Kong on July 10, 2020. (CALVIN NG/CHINA DAILY)
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor arrives for the funeral of late Macao tycoon Stanley Ho at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point, Hong Kong on July 10, 2020. (ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP)
Hong Kong Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung arrives for the funeral of late Macao tycoon Stanley Ho at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point, Hong Kong on July 10, 2020. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)
Ho's death comes as Macao faces a critical juncture, with officials warning that the special administrative region is too dependent on gambling and faces acute challenges as it reels from the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
Succession plans for Ho, who had four wives and 17 known children, had been in place since 2012, when he was forced to restructure his business after a legal battle within the family over his fortune.
His family remains a huge part of in Macao's gambling industry. His daughter Daisy is chairman of SJM, while his fourth wife, Angela Leong, is a co-chair. His daughter Pansy is co-chair of MGM Resorts Macau unit, while his son Lawrence runs Melco Resorts and Entertainment.
Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah arrives for the funeral of late Macao tycoon Stanley Ho at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point, Hong Kong on July 10, 2020. (CALVIN NG/CHINA DAILY)
Leung Chun-ying, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, arrives for the funeral of late Macao tycoon Stanley Ho at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point, Hong Kong on July 10, 2020. (CALVIN NG/CHINA DAILY)
Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, president of Hong Kong's Legislative Council, arrives for the funeral of late Macao tycoon Stanley Ho at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point, Hong Kong on July 10, 2020. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)
Henry Tang Ying-yen, a Hong Kong member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, arrives for the funeral of late Macao tycoon Stanley Ho at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point, Hong Kong on July 10, 2020. (CALVIN NG/CHINA DAILY)
Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, arrives for the funeral of late Macao tycoon Stanley Ho at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point, Hong Kong on July 10, 2020. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)
Founder and Chairman of the Lan Kwai Fong Group Allan Zeman arrives for the public memorial of Stanley Ho at Hong Kong Funeral Home on July 9, 2020. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)
Hong Kong actress Liza Wang Ming-chuen arrives for the public memorial of Stanley Ho at Hong Kong Funeral Home on July 9, 2020. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)
Edmund Ho Hau-wah (left), former chief executive of Macao, arrives for the public memorial of Stanley Ho at Hong Kong Funeral Home on July 9, 2020. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)
Wreaths are placed outside Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point, Hong Kong, on July 9, 2020 in memory of Macao tycoon Stanley Ho, who died on May 28. (PHOTO / CHINA DAILY)
With Reuters inputs
