DAP founding chairman Dr Chen Man Hin died early this morning, the party announced today. He was 97.

He was the Seremban MP from 1983 to 1990.

There was an outpouring of grief for Chen on social media, with messages from a number of DAP leaders.

Party chairman Lim Guan Eng said that he was deeply saddened.

“On the way to Seremban from Penang to express our heartfelt condolences to his family. Rest in peace,” he posted on Facebook. 

Former deputy defence minister Liew Chin Tong said Chen founded DAP in 1966 with a vision of building a multi-ethnic Malaysian identity and Malaysian dream. 

“He stabilised the party whenever there was a crisis.

“DAP would not have survived the May 13 period – when Lim Kit Siang was detained and then secretary-general Goh Hock Guan went into hiding overseas – if not for Chen who held the fort. 

“Again – when Kit Siang and more than a dozen national leaders were detained under the Internal Security Act in Ops Lalang – Chen kept the party intact.”

Liew said that even as recently as a decade ago in 2011, he witnessed Chen quietly working behind the scenes to bring together leaders with differing views, to see the national mission of DAP. 

“Without Chen’s stewardship and support, selfless contribution and generous financial donations, it would have been even harder for DAP and the leadership of Kit Siang during the party’s first three decades, when survival was often in doubt. 

“Chen’s faith in Kit Siang’s leadership was unwavering. Their bond was very close and intimate.”

He said when the party suffered one of its greatest defeats in 1999, Chen retired as chairman to make way for Kit Siang, who in turn made way for Kerk Kim Hock to take over as secretary-general. 

“Speak to generations of Seremban folk and they will tell you about this generous doctor, who had the kindest soul and helped so many lives.

“He was a dedicated doctor. One day I was in Seremban and passed by his clinic. To my surprise, I found out that he was still performing minor surgeries for patients when he was in his late 80s.”

Liew said Chen was one of the very greats in DAP’s history and a towering Malaysian. – August 17, 2022.