Pemergian Ketua Menteri II Pulau Pinang

  
GEORGE TOWN: Malaysia's former chief minister of Penang state, Dr Lim Chong Eu, died on Wednesday. He was 91.

Bernama news agency quoted his eldest son Lim Chien Aun as saying Dr Lim died at 9.07pm at his residence in Tanjong Bungah after being brought back from Penang Hospital at 7pm on Wednesday.

"My father breathed his last in the presence of family members at home," he told reporters.

Dr Lim was admitted to Penang Hospital for nearly a month after suffering a stroke.

In a statement, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he was saddened by the demise of Penang's longest-serving chief minister and extended the state government's deepest condolences to the family.

He said Dr Lim would be accorded a state funeral.

He will make an official announcement on Dr Lim's demise upon his return from a Hong Kong business trip on Thursday.

Gerakan president Dr Koh Tsu Koon said he and other party members were deeply saddened to have lost its most respected founder who steadfastly championed the cause of all Malaysians.

"Malaysia, Penang and Gerakan have lost a great statesman and visionary leader who set up the first Free Trade Zone to attract electronics MNCs to invest in Penang. He was rightly the father of industrialization for Malaysia," he said.

Dr Lim, Penang's second chief minister, was reported to be in coma at the hospital's Intensive-Care Unit since he was warded on October 26.

Born on May 28, 1919, Dr Lim received his early education at Penang Free School and was a Queen's Scholar in 1937. He obtained his degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Edinburgh in 1944.

He became MCA president in March 1958 but left the party in July 1959 before setting up the United Democratic Party (UDP) in the same year, becoming its secretary-general. He became the party president in 1966.

He quit UDP and co-founded Gerakan in 1968. He became its president one year later.

Dr Lim was appointed Penang chief minister in the same year until 1990.

He was entrusted by the government to spearhead the Penang Development Corporation, attracting a lot of investments with Penang emerging as the leading state in the electronic industry.

He inspired the creation of the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone and was responsible for initiating the development of Seberang Perai's swampy area into a modern satellite town, known as Seberang Jaya.

Two of Penang's important landmarks - the Penang Bridge and Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak - were the realisation of Dr Lim's vision.

Dr Lim retired from politics after he lost in the 1990 general election and after 21 years as chief minister.

He leaves behind his wife Goh Sing Ying, 85, and four children.

- Bernama