Robin Loh
Encyclopedia
Robin Loh was an Indonesia
n-born Singapore
an businessman and real estate developer. Loh was best known in Australia as the founder of Robina, Queensland
, a suburban town on the Gold Coast
of Queensland
. Robina, which turned 30 in 2010, is considered one of Australia's most successful planned communities. He is also credited as a leading businessman during Singapore's industrialization.
Loh was born in Indonesia
and moved to Singapore during the 1950s at the age of 18. He began his career in business by salvaging abandoned U.S. Army military equipement. He also worked as a taxi driver
. In the early 1970s, Loh established the Robin Shipyard in Singapore. Loh would also obtain both a master's degree
and a doctorate
.
In 1980, Loh purchased 20 square kilometres of grazing
land on the southern Gold Coast
in Queensland
. Loh built the town of Robina, which grew into a planned community
with a population of approximately 30,000 people, as of 2010. Loh built a town center with entertainment, parks and healthcare facilities.
In addition to Robina and other real estate holdings, Loh also held interests in research and development
, hotels, banking, shipbuilding
, manufacturing
, shipping
and oil rig
construction during his career.
Robin Loh died of breathing difficulties on an international flight from Singapore
to Hong Kong
on August 28, 2010, at the age of 81. He had suffered from Parkinson's disease
.
A street in Singapore is named for Loh. The government of Malaysia also granted him the title, Datuk.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n-born Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
an businessman and real estate developer. Loh was best known in Australia as the founder of Robina, Queensland
Robina, Queensland
Robina is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Robina had a population of 19,182.The Robina Town Centre shopping centre and Bond University are located in Robina.- History :...
, a suburban town on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. Robina, which turned 30 in 2010, is considered one of Australia's most successful planned communities. He is also credited as a leading businessman during Singapore's industrialization.
Loh was born in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and moved to Singapore during the 1950s at the age of 18. He began his career in business by salvaging abandoned U.S. Army military equipement. He also worked as a taxi driver
Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver is a 1976 American drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. The film is set in New York City, soon after the Vietnam War. The film stars Robert De Niro and features Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, and Cybill Shepherd. The film was nominated for four Academy...
. In the early 1970s, Loh established the Robin Shipyard in Singapore. Loh would also obtain both a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
and a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
.
In 1980, Loh purchased 20 square kilometres of grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
land on the southern Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. Loh built the town of Robina, which grew into a planned community
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
with a population of approximately 30,000 people, as of 2010. Loh built a town center with entertainment, parks and healthcare facilities.
In addition to Robina and other real estate holdings, Loh also held interests in research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
, hotels, banking, shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
, manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
, shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
and oil rig
Oil rig
Oil rig may refer to* Drilling rig, an apparatus for on-land oil drilling* Oil platform, an apparatus for offshore oil drillingOIL RIG or OILRIG may refer to :...
construction during his career.
Robin Loh died of breathing difficulties on an international flight from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
on August 28, 2010, at the age of 81. He had suffered from Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
.
A street in Singapore is named for Loh. The government of Malaysia also granted him the title, Datuk.