A Hakka Chinese, Chen Man Hin was born in China and sailed to British Malaya (present day Malaysia) at a young age, before the Second World War.
Chen Man Hin became the founder of DAP in Seremban with other leaders such as Lim Kit Siang, Dr. Tan Seng Giaw, lawyers Karpal Singh (CEC) and Hu Sepang.
Other leaders include Lai Teo Kuan, Mahdevan Nair, Ibrahim Singgeh (Assemblyman), Richard Ho (Setiawan parliament), Fadzlan Yahya Nor Jetty as Deputy Chairman of DAP and Dr. S. Seeveratnam as Treasurer.
Following the death of a Malaysian Chinese Association Assemblyman in Rahang, Negeri Sembilan, Chen Man Hin contested as an independent using the 'cherry blossom' symbol on 9 December 1965 and won.
[4] The then-Secretary-General of DAP Lim Kit Siang and Deputy Chairman Karpal Singh, otherwise known as The Tiger of Jelutong lost their seats as well, whereas their political allies the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) won a majority in the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly and formed the state government there, and the newly formed Parti Keadilan Nasional (KeADILan) made gains.