Tun Dr. Lim Keng Yaik SSM (Chinese: 林敬益; pinyin: Lín Jìngyì; Jyutping: Lam4 Ging3 Jik1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Kèng-ek; 8 April 1939 – 22 December 2012) was a Malaysian politician and former Minister of Energy, Water and Communications in the Malaysian cabinet.
Lim was born on 8 April 1939 in Tapah, Perak with fifteen siblings, to a mining father and a homemaker mother.
[3] Lim began his foray into politics in 1968 by joining the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA).
He subsequently contested in the Pekan Baru state seat in Perak in 1969 on an Alliance ticket, but lost.
However, he resigned from the post the very next year as a protest against the expulsion of the MCA reform movement leaders at the time.
He made unparalleled contributions in opening up the global market for Malaysian products like palm oil and timber.
Tun Lim Keng Yaik switched his portfolio to the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications in 2004.
[1] On 2 September 2005 at the Gerakan 35th Annual National Delegates Conference dinner, Lim announced that he would be retiring as president on 8 April 2007, which was also his 68th birthday.
[1] After being plagued by illness for more than a year, Tun Lim Keng Yaik died peacefully on Saturday afternoon, 22 December 2012, surrounded by his family at his home in Tropicana, Petaling Jaya, he was 73.