Kean Siew dies at 85

Lim Kean Siew

PENANG: Prominent lawyer and retired politician Datuk Lim Kean Siew died of a heart attack at a private hospital here yesterday. He was 85. 

He leaves behind wife Pamela Ong, three sons and two daughters.  

Lim was an accomplished writer and had written several books including The Eye Over the Golden Sands and Beauty of Yixing Teapots. 

A political stalwart of the 1960s, Lim was the founder and chairman of the Labour Party and known for his fiery oratory skills. He was Member of Parliament for Datuk Keramat in Penang for two terms, in 1959 and 1964.  

Lim joined MCA in the early 1970s after leaving the Labour Party and was Penang MCA liaison committee chairman from 1979 until 1984.  

He also held the Pengkalan Kota state seat.  

Lim, who came from an illustrious Straits Chinese family, was also a noted and independent-minded lawyer.  

Political observer Dr Goh Ban Lee described Lim as a good political strategist.  

“Lim was one of the most perceptive observers of politics. He was also very frank and dared to do things that most politicians would not think of doing,” he added.  

Senior lawyer Gan Teik Chee said Lim was not an easy person to get along with. 

“But he was a person who was willing to stand up for unpopular causes,” he added. 

Gan, who did his chambering with Lim and later joined his firm in the early 1970s, said Lim had high ideals and political commitment. 

“He was certainly one of the early figures in the anti-colonial movement, just like the rest of his family,” he said. 

Gan said after Lim was detained in 1969, he joined the MCA. 

Great loss:Lim's widowPamela, theiryoungest sonJulian and hiswife WongYann Yannwatching overhis coffin inPenangyesterday.

“I think he may have become disillusioned and tried to reform the Government from the inside by joining MCA,” he added. 

Deputy Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister and MCA's Bayan Baru MP Datuk Wong Kam Hoong remembers Lim as a “good politician” who helped revive MCA,.