Lim Keng Yaik

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Dato' Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik (Chinese: 林敬益; pinyin: Lín Jìngyì) is a Malaysian politician and currently is the national president of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia since 1980. He was born on April 8, 1939 in Perak. He graduated from The Queens University of Belfast with a MB.BCh.BAO in 1964. His previous portfolio was the Malaysian Minister of Primary Industries. He is currently the Malaysian Minister of Energy, Water and Telecommunications.

[edit] History in Politics

Dr. Lim begins his foray into politics in 1968 joining the MCA and subsequently contested in the Pekan Baru state seat in Perak in 1969 on an Alliance ticket, but lost. In 1971, he became the chairman of MCA Perak and was made senator for a six year term. However, in 1973, Dr. Lim was expelled from the MCA after going against the then MCA president Tun Tan Siew Sin and in the same year joined Gerakan. He became the Ulu Kinta Gerakan division head the next year and moved up to become Perak Gerakan head in 1974. In 1976, he became the party's deputy president. In July 1978, Dr. Lim, known for his sharp humour among journalist, resigned as senator and contested in the 1978 Perak General Elections in the Jalong state seat in Perak, which he won narrowly.

In 1980, the medical doctor-turned-politician became the Gerakan President. For the first three terms as the party head, he faced challenges and successfully defended the position at every party election since then. He contested the Bruas Parliament seat in 1986 and won by a handsome margin.

Dr. Lim became a cabinet minister when he was made Minister with Special Functions dealing with New Villages and Emergency work in 1972. However, he resigned for the post the very next year as a protest against the expulsion of the MCA reformmovement leaders at the time and also found himself booted out of the MCA for it. He made a Cabinet comeback as Minister of Primary Industries on 1986 and served in the position until 2004, when he was appointed Minister of Energy, Water and Communications.

Until today, Dr. Lim represents the people of Beruas in the district of Manjung, Perak as a member of the Barisan Nasional which Malaysia ruling coalition. In the last Malaysia general election held in 2004, he maintained his seat with a clear majority of 4,564 with a total registered voter count of 15,867.

[edit] Retirement

In the September 2, 2005 Gerakan Party's 35th Annual National Delegates Conference dinner, Dr. Lim announced that he will be retiring as Gerakan President in April 8, 2007, which is also his 68th birthday.