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Chen Man Hin

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Chen Man Hin
曾敏兴
1st Life Advisor of the
Democratic Action Party
In office
3 December 1999 – 17 August 2022
Secretary-General
National Chairman
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
1st National Chairman of the
Democratic Action Party
In office
18 March 1966 – 3 December 1999
Secretary-General
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byLim Kit Siang
Member of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly
for Rahang
In office
11 December 1965 –
  • 26 April 1982
  • Assembly suspended:
    13 May 1969 – 20 February 1971
Preceded byHan Hiu Fong
Succeeded byHu Sepang
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Seremban
In office
19 November 1983 – 21 October 1990
Preceded byLee San Choon
Succeeded byYim Chee Chong
Majority
In office
14 September 1974 – 26 April 1982
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byLee San Choon
Majority
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Seremban Timor
In office
10 May 1969 – 14 September 1974
Preceded byQuek Kai Dong
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Majority5,402 (1969)
Personal details
Born(1924-11-14)14 November 1924
Republic of China
Died17 August 2022(2022-08-17) (aged 97)
Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Political party
Other political
affiliations
OccupationPolitician, physician
Websitechenmanhin.blogspot.com

Chen Man Hin (Chinese: 曾敏兴; 14 November 1924 – 17 August 2022)[1] was a Chinese-Malaysian politician and physician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Seremban from September 1974 to April 1982 and again from November 1983 to October 1990, Seremban Timor from May 1969 to September 1974 and Member of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Rahang from December 1965 to April 1982. He was a founding member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), presently a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH), formerly Pakatan Rakyat (PR), Barisan Alternatif (BA) and Gagasan Rakyat (GR) opposition coalitions. He served as the 1st Life Advisor of DAP from December 1999 to his death in August 2022 as well as the 1st and founding National Chairman of DAP from its founding in March 1966 to his resignation in December 1999.

Early life

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A Hakka Chinese, Chen Man Hin was born in China and sailed to British Malaya (present day Malaysia) at a young age, before the Second World War. In 1946, he studied at the King Edward VII Medical College in Singapore and graduated in 1952. He then worked as a doctor in Singapore and at a hospital in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan until 1956, before opening his own clinic.

Political career

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He won his first election in a 1965 by-election for the Rahang state legislative assembly seat in Negeri Sembilan as an independent. He won his first federal parliamentary seat in Seremban Timor, Negeri Sembilan in 1969 under the DAP ticket against Barisan Nasional. Chen Man Hin became the founder of DAP in Seremban with other leaders such as Lim Kit Siang, Dr. Tan Seng Giaw, lawyers Karpal Singh (CEC) and Hu Sepang. Later, he was appointed DAP's Advisor. The DAP headquarters was then located at Choo Teik Building, Seremban. In 1980s Negeri Sembilan was a stronghold of the DAP.[2]

DAP's early leaders are Chan Tech Chan, Dr Liew Ji Sheng, Lim Koon Jie, Chan Kok Kit, Wang Rui Ai, Walter Loh (Setapak), Devan Nair (Secretary-General, later Singapore President), Lee Ming Chang and Goh Hock Guan . Other leaders include Lai Teo Kuan, Mahdevan Nair, Ibrahim Singgeh (Assemblyman), Richard Ho (Setiawan parliament), Fadzlan Yahya Nor Jetty as Deputy Chairman of DAP and Dr. S. Seeveratnam as Treasurer.

Following the death of a Malaysian Chinese Association Assemblyman in Rahang, Negeri Sembilan, Chen Man Hin contested as an independent using the 'cherry blossom' symbol on 9 December 1965 and won. At the time, DAP was in the process of creation and was successfully registered on 18 March, after which he became its national Chairman.[3]

He subsequently won the elections of 1978 and 1986. In 1986, DAP won 24 parliamentary seats and 56 state seats.

In 1999, he lost in Rasah, Negeri Sembilan to Datuk Goh Siow Huat from Barisan Nasional.[4] The then-Secretary-General of DAP Lim Kit Siang and Deputy Chairman Karpal Singh, otherwise known as The Tiger of Jelutong lost their seats as well, whereas their political allies the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) won a majority in the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly and formed the state government there, and the newly formed Parti Keadilan Nasional (KeADILan) made gains. Although DAP gained a seat, the party performed below expectations and the results were called "catastrophic" by Lim.[5] Chen eventually resigned as Chairman of DAP after the 1999 general elections and was replaced by Lim Kit Siang.[6]

Election results

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Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly[7]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1965 N07 Rahang Chen Man Hin (IND) 3,576 52.26% Kan Kok Kwan (MCA) 2,036 29.75% 6,845 1,540 69.14%
Yim Chee Chong (PBM) 1,231 17.99%
Parliament of Malaysia
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1969 P080 Seremban Timor Chen Man Hin (DAP) 13,475 60.32% Wong Sen Chow (MCA) 8,073 36.14% 22,339 5,402 72.14%
Chin See Yin (UMCO) 791 3.54%
1974 P091 Seremban Chen Man Hin (DAP) 16,280 55.71% Wong Seng Chow (MCA) 12,941 44.29% 29,221 3,339 74.33%
1978 Chen Man Hin (DAP) 23,057 60.61% Gan Kong Seng (MCA) 14,984 39.39% 38,041 8,073 71.88%
1982 Chen Man Hin (DAP) 22,413 49.07% Lee San Choon (MCA) 23,258 50.93% 45,671 845 77.22%
1983 Chen Man Hin (DAP) 23,897 57.72% Rosie Teh (MCA) 17,504 42.28% 41,401 6,393 67.98%
1986 P107 Seremban Chen Man Hin (DAP) 23,577 51.15% Yim Chee Chong (MCA) 22,513 48.85% 46,090 1,064 71.47%
1990 Chen Man Hin (DAP) 26,797 49.93% Yim Chee Chong (MCA) 26,874 50.07% 53,671 77 72.93%
1995 P118 Rasah Chen Man Hin (DAP) 20,775 40.17% Wong See Wah (MCA) 30,946 59.83% 53,732 10,171 73.53%
1999 Chen Man Hin (DAP) 27,255 48.76% Goh Siow Huat (MCA) 28,641 51.24% 55,896 1,386 73.44%

Death

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Chen passed away on 17 August 2022 at the age of 97. According to DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, Chen died in his sleep. Loke also revealed that he had been making trips to the hospital two months prior and had been infected with pneumonia prior to his death.[8]

Legacy

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A major road in Seremban, Jalan Temiang, was renamed to Jalan Dr. Chen Man Hin in honour of his contributions.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Xian, Liew Jia (17 August 2022). "DAP founder Chen Man Hin passes away". The Star. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  2. ^ Misi `hidup atau mati' pembangkang di Negeri Sembilan
  3. ^ Politik Negeri Sembilan[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Keputusan Pilihan raya 1999
  5. ^ Pereira, Brendan (3 December 1999). "Out: Kit Siang as DAP chief". The Straits Times.
  6. ^ Patvinder Singh; Abdul Razak Ahmad (3 December 1999). "Kit Siang quits as sec-gen of DAP, elected chairman". New Straits Times. p. 1.
  7. ^ "The mystery of the missing voters". The Straits Times. 13 December 1965. p. 7.
  8. ^ Singh, Sarban (18 August 2022). "Late DAP co-founder leaves behind 'free service clinic' legacy". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  9. ^ Singh, Sarban (22 May 2023). "Jln Temiang renamed in honour of former MP". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 17 January 2024.