P. G. Lim

Tan Sri Lim Phaik Gan, known as P. G. Lim, (Chinese: 林碧顏; pinyin: Lín Bìyán; Jyutping: Lam4 Bik1 Ngaan4; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Phek-gân; 29 June 1915 – 7 May 2013) [1][2] was a British-born Malaysian lawyer and diplomat. She was one of the first female lawyers to practice in Malaysia.[3] Lim also served as Malaysia's first female ambassador.[4] She served as Malaysia's Ambassador to the United Nations, Yugoslavia, Austria, and the European Economic Community during her diplomatic career.[3]

Tan Sri
P. G. Lim
DPMP DMPN PSM
2nd Ambassador of Malaysia to Belgium
In office
18 February 1977 – 27 September 1979
Preceded byPeter Stephen Lai
Succeeded byKassim Hussein
Personal details
Born
Lim Phaik Gan

(1915-06-29)29 June 1915
London, United Kingdom
Died7 May 2013(2013-05-07) (aged 97)
Perth, Western Australia
P. G. Lim
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese林碧顏
Simplified Chinese林碧颜
Hanyu PinyinLín Bìyán
JyutpingLam4 Bik1 Ngaan4
Hokkien POJLîm Phek-gân
Tâi-lôLîm Phik-gân

Early life

Lim was born in London, United Kingdom in 1915.[3][4][5] Her father, Lim Cheng Ean (Chinese: 林清淵; pinyin: Lín Qīngyuān; Jyutping: Lam4 Cing1 Jyun1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Chheng-ian), was a lawyer and legislative councillor (Jalan Lim Chin Guan is named after her father).[4] Her mother, Rosalind Hoalim, was British Guyanese.[4] Lim was oldest of her siblings, who include Lim Kean Chye.

Career

Lim graduated from Convent Light Street in George Town, Penang.[4] She was one of the first women from present-day Malaysia to receive a Master's of Law from Girton College, Cambridge.[3]

In 1948, she acted as the defence attorney for Lee Meng, a Communist guerrilla leader arrested in Perak, Malayan Union.[3] In 1968, she defended eleven young people who had been sentenced to death for collaborating with Indonesian forces during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.[3] She secured pardons for all eleven defendants from the Sultan of Johor and the Sultan of Perak.[4] In the 1960s, Lim was politically active as a member of the Labour Party of Malaya. She stood for election in the seat of Sentul in 1964 under the banner of the Socialist Front, but lost the seat to the Alliance Party.

The Malaysian Parliament was suspended in 1969 in the aftermath of the sectarian riots in the country. P. G. Lim was one of only two women to be appointed to the National Operations Council, which governed Malaysia from 1969 to 1971 in the aftermath of the riots.[3] Members of the Council approved the Malaysian New Economic Policy in 1970, which was implemented in 1971.[3]

In 1971, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein named Lim deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, a position which held the rank of Ambassador to the UN.[3] Lim later continued her diplomatic career as the Malaysian Ambassador to Yugoslavia, Austria, and the European Economic Community.[3]

Extra work

She served as the Director of the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration until her retirement in 2001.[3] Lim was awarded the Merdeka Award in 2009.[3]

Death

Lim died in Perth, Western Australia, on 7 May 2013, at the age of 97. She was survived by two children, Wee Han Kim and Caryn Lim, and two grandchildren.[3]

Honour

References
  1. "Dato' P.G. Lim". National Archives of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  2. "Dato' P.G. Lim". National Archives of Malaysia. Retrieved 2 October 2018. (in Malay)
  3. Oorjitham, Santha (5 May 2013). "Pioneer woman envoy dies". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  4. "Malaysia's first woman envoy Tan Sri Lim Phaik Gan dies at 97". The Star (Malaysia). 9 May 2013. Archived from the original on 9 June 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  5. K
  6. "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat".
  7. "DPMP 1997". pingat.perak.gov.my. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  8. "Pengurniaan Darjah Kebesaran Bergelar Bagi Tahun 1997 Mengikut Negeri" (PDF). Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
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