PETALING JAYA: After 3,100 years of its birth in China, the Lim surname is very much alive in Malaysia.
And as the ‘Year of the Monkey’ beckons, 800,000 Lims will join the 7.6 million Chinese population in the country in celebrating Chinese New Year.
The Lim clan is proud to have three amongst them honoured with Tunships, 48 of them with the Tan Sri titles and countless others with datukships.
Recently, the Lim clan had a large gathering to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the Klang Valley Lim Association (KVLA) at The Atrium in Damansara Jaya.
Many prominent clansmen like the Federation of Malaysian Lim Associations (FMLA) life president Tan Sri Lim Bah, former MCA president and Transport Minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik (the surname Ling is also a Lim clansman), who is FMLA honorary adviser.
FMLA immediate past president and adviser Datuk Robert S.N. Lim said that the first Lim surname was used 31 centuries ago and today there were 18.8 million people worldwide with the surname, making it the 16th largest Chinese surname.
“The Malacca Lim Association is the oldest at 140 years, out of the 33-year-old federation’s 68 member associations, while the Klang Valley Lim Association (KVLA) is the youngest at four years,” he said.
Famous Lim clansmen include the late Gerakan presidents Tun Lim Chong Eu, who was Penang chief minister, and Energy, Water and Communications Minister Tun Lim Keng Yaik.
Other prominent Lims are Top Glove executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Wee Chai, Lim Federation of Malaysia president and LBS Bina Group managing director Tan Sri Lim Hock San, Titijaya chairman Tan Sri Lim Soon Peng, Farlim Group chairman Tan Sri Gait Tong and Genting Group chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay as well as KVLA president Datuk Jeffrey Lim Huat Soon, who is the federation’s public relations director and Klang Valley Lim Association (KVLA) president.
FMLA president Tan Sri Lim Hock San said many of the Lim clansman were aging and efforts were underway to woo the younger set, especially English-speaking professionals.
“We want to unite, network, foster friendship and fellowship and understanding among the Lim ancestry.
“We already have in place succession plans to groom the many sucessful young entrepreneurs to take over where we seniors left.
“But first, they must have a passion to bond, work and lead as future presidents, who have to serve not only in times of happiness but during grief of a clansman who has died,” said Hock San.
He thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor for supporting FMLA’s interests and activities.
He added FMLA organised regular career talks and shared the experiences and thoughts of the seniors to the younger set to inspire and give them pride to move on.
“We also maintain a close rapport with the Lim clan in China and elsewhere in the world with annual forums to promote commerce and industries,” said Hock San.
Present was FMLA life president Tan Sri Lim Bah (correct).
He added that one of FMLA’s plans was to build its own headquarters in the Klang Valley. So far, only Malacca has got its own shophouse for the association’s activities.
“We need our own home to plan our activities like helping the less fortunate, needy and handicapped society, irrespective of clansmanship,” Hock San said.
FMLA has also established the Malaysian Chinese Women’s Entrepreneur Foundation which obtained RM30 million from the federal government that beneffited 2,000 who were given RM20,000 micro-credit business loans each.
Thus far, FMLA has contributed RM600,000 to 12 charities of various communities.
Among the beneficiaries are Pertubuhan Orang-orang Bermasalah Pembelajaran Dayspring ,Selangor; Persatuan Metabolik Malaysia; Persatuan Kristian Shuang Fu; Persatuan Rumah Kebajikan Rita; Pertubuhan Kebajikan Anak-anak Yatim Sayang; Yayasan Singh Malaysia; Independent Living and Training Centre; BPRC; Persatuan Mobiliti Selangor and Kuala Lumpur; Pertubuhan Keluarga Orang Bermasalah Pembelajaran Selangor dan Wilayah Persekutuan; and Persatuan Kanak-kanak Istimewa Kajang, Selangor.