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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 October 2015
The passing of Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu in November last year threw a challenge to all serious scholars of Malaysian history.
Not much has so far been written about him. No doubt most books on the country's political history do mention episodes such as his successful challenge against Tan Cheng Lock in 1958 for the presidency of the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA), his failed attempt to gain extra seat allocations from Tunku Abdul Rahman in 1959, the triumph of the Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia in 1969, him leading the party into the Barisan Nasional in 1973, and the Penang economic miracle that he facilitated in the 1970s and 1980s. But further details are rare.
Aside from the need to uncover details, a proper analysis into Tun Dr Lim's life is required for several weighty reasons. His political life was after all impressively long—at least 40 hectic years; and through it all, he always played a major role.
His struggles reflected in no uncertain terms major interrelated dimensions of Malaysian politics which are as relevant today as they had ever been.
Hastened Democracy
For one thing, the complications surrounding an electoral system that was put in place only when colonialism was no longer a viable option, and which had to evolve under great pressure from British haste to withdraw, inter-ethnic tensions and the communist insurgency, were all too evident. The immature democratic culture, along with the social diversity, saw the growth of a strong tendency towards consociationalism and coalition building.
The need for Malayan leaders of that time to arrive at a quick solution that showed sufficient promise for political stability, inter-ethnic compromise and effective anti-communism saw the innovation that was the Alliance Model being triumphant.
Dr Lim was involved from the very beginning in Malaya's electoral development, when his Penang Radical Party won the first ever municipal election ever held in the country. This was in George Town in 1951. By 1955, he had joined the MCA, and had become its president by 1958. The Alliance Model, constructed for the purpose of gaining independence, had the perpetual problem of seat allocation among its members. This was clearly seen in Dr Lim's attempt to increase the MCA's share. He failed, and soon had to leave the party.
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