Kwek family scion dies in Kuala Lumpur car crash

Mr Kwek Kon Chun (left) and Mr Franco Toh (right) were killed when Mr Kwek's Porsche crashed along the KL-Seremban Expressway (below) at about 2.30am yesterday. Mr Kwek, a nightlife entrepreneur and avid racer, was the nephew of billionaire Kwek Leng
Mr Kwek Kon Chun (left) and Mr Franco Toh (right) were killed when Mr Kwek's Porsche crashed along the KL-Seremban Expressway (below) at about 2.30am yesterday. Mr Kwek, a nightlife entrepreneur and avid racer, was the nephew of billionaire Kwek Leng Beng. PHOTOS: FACEBOOK PAGES OF KWEK KON CHUN AND FRANCO TOH, THE CHINA PRESS
Mr Kwek Kon Chun (left) and Mr Franco Toh (right) were killed when Mr Kwek's Porsche crashed along the KL-Seremban Expressway (below) at about 2.30am yesterday. Mr Kwek, a nightlife entrepreneur and avid racer, was the nephew of billionaire Kwek Leng Beng. PHOTOS: FACEBOOK PAGES OF KWEK KON CHUN AND FRANCO TOH, THE CHINA PRESS
Mr Kwek Kon Chun (left) and Mr Franco Toh (right) were killed when Mr Kwek's Porsche crashed along the KL-Seremban Expressway (below) at about 2.30am yesterday. Mr Kwek, a nightlife entrepreneur and avid racer, was the nephew of billionaire Kwek Leng Beng. PHOTOS: FACEBOOK PAGES OF KWEK KON CHUN AND FRANCO TOH, THE CHINA PRESS

Kwek family scion Kwek Kon Chun was killed in a high-speed car crash just outside Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The 35-year-old nightlife entrepreneur and avid racer, a nephew of billionaire Kwek Leng Beng, lost control of his Porsche 911 Turbo just hours after winning a drag race with the same car in Sepang.

Both Mr Kwek and his passenger, Mr Franco Toh, 43, died on the spot after the vehicle crashed on the KL-Seremban Expressway at about 2.30am in Desa Petaling, according to Malaysian police.

"They may have been travelling at a high speed. The car spun out of control and crashed into the metal road divider," Kuala Lumpur's Staff Officer for Traffic Investigation and Regulation, Deputy Superintendent Markandan Subramaniam, told Malaysia's The Star newspaper.

A 20m-long steel rail from the divider skewered the car through the driver's side, killing the duo.

It took an hour to cut through the wreckage to get them out.

DSP Markandan added that the two had come from the Sepang International Circuit and were driving towards the KL city centre.

Just hours earlier, Mr Kwek had been euphoric after winning the Dragtimes2u Supercar Drag Race.

The bodies have been taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a post-mortem, while the wrecked car has been towed to a police station, DSP Markandan told The Straits Times.

He confirmed that the families of the two men would be arriving yesterday evening to claim the bodies. Mr Kwek's family declined to speak to the media, while Mr Toh's family could not be contacted.

Mr Kwek co-owned Neverland Group, which runs several nightspots, including club Sonar at Orchard Hotel, Neverland II at St James Power Station and Pixie Mansion (formerly Neverland KL) in the Malaysian capital.

Mr Bae Husairi, one of the race organisers, said Mr Kwek was a regular face in the racing circuit across the border.

"All of us really respected him; he loved cars and loved to race," said Mr Bae, who is in his 30s.

Mr Toh, a Singapore citizen who was born in Hong Kong, was Neverland's regional marketing director.

As news spread about the crash, condolences started pouring in on Mr Kwek's Facebook page.

Mr Adrian Mah, 35, Mr Kwek's business partner at club Sonar, said that he was a humble friend and a great boss.

"We're all still in shock. They were both good guys," said Mr Mah, who knew the pair. "(Kon Chun) was a very good guy and everyone is going to miss him."

dansonc@sph.com.sg

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