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©The Sun (Used by permission)
by Regina William

PENANG (October 1, 2007): One of Penang’s most illustrious sons, lawyer turned politician Lim Kean Siew (pix), died at a private hospital on the island at 2pm yesterday after suffering from a heart attack.

He was 85.

Lim was the founder, the national secretary-general and the chairman of the Labour Party of Malaya and leader of the Malaysian opposition in the 1960s.

He was an elected MP for the Datuk Keramat constituency in 1959 and 1964. He joined the MCA in 1975, when the Socialist Front and Labour Party went defunct, as the presidential adviser.

He became member of the presidential council and central committee and served as Penang MCA liaison committee chairman from 1979 to 1983.

Much admired for his sharp mind, frank opinions and oratory skills, he was the first Barisan Nasional assemblyman to win the opposition stronghold of Pengkalan Kota in a by-election upon the death of its assemblyman C.Y. Choy.

Born in 1922, Lim came from a family of lawyers. His brother is renowned constitutional expert Kean Chye and his sister is Datuk P.G. Lim. Their father, Cheng Ean, was also a noted barrister.

Lim was educated at Raffles College Singapore before the World War II and went on to study at Cambridge where he obtained double Tripos in English and Law.

On his return, Lim followed in the footsteps of his father who served in legislative council in Penang during colonial times.

Lim was also an established writer, having written several books, namely Inner Peace: A Source of Chinese Philosophic Meditative Practice, The Beauty of Chinese Yixing Teapots: And the Finer Arts of Tea Drinking and two autobiographical books, The Eye Over the Golden Sands and Blood on the Golden Sands, in which he chronicled his life and what stirred his political awakening.

Lim resigned from MCA and all political positions in 1983 and for years dedicated his services as legal adviser to the Malaysian Buddhist Association meditation centre.

He was also very active in Buddhist organisations.

Lim leaves behind his wife Pamela Ong, three sons and a daughter.

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