Lim Hui Ying - Penang's first ever woman chief minister? But can she overcome ill health, accusations of nepotism?

Written by Stan Lee, PoliticsNow Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (politicsnowmy.blogspot.com) - News that Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying is on medical leave after undergoing surgery last week has stirred some curiosity about the politician who has long walked in the shadows of her famous father and brother.

Especially as it come just days after news that Dr Lee Wei Ling, the daughter of another famous leader, the late Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, and sister of the city state's preceding premier Lee Hsien Loong, had passed away at age 69. 

Nonetheless, expectations that sooner or later, the 61-year-old Hui Ying will take over as the chief minister of Malaysia's Penang state - becoming the first ever woman to helm a state government - have always run high.

But the latest ill health and her poor results at last month's Penang DAP party election have cast doubts that the daughter of Lim Kit Siang, a former opposition stalwart, and the sister of Lim Guan Eng, a former finance minister who had also been Penang chief minister, has what it takes to seize the day.

"Most people in DAP don't really want to see the continuity of the so-called Lim dynasty," a party insider told PoliticsNow Malaysia.

"But she's a good and hard worker and the family influence is still very strong even though it begun waning. For me, so long as she has the health and will, the odds are in her favor. Penang people are not so old-fashioned, I think they can accept a woman chief so long as she is able to do the work."

RESPECTED FAMILY NAME BUT SHE MUST PROVE HERSELF

Lim Guan Eng (left), Kit Siang (centre) and Hui Ying (right)

Yet it looks like Hui Ying, who is a Member of the federal Parliament as well as a Senator in the Penang state legislative assembly, has her work cut out for her.

She won only 827 votes or only 56% of the votes from the 1,466 delegates attending the Penang DAP election - ending up at No 12 in the 15-person state leadership line-up. 

By contrast, her colleague in the federal cabinet Steven Sim, the Human Resources Minister and some say her chief rival for the Penang CM post, got 1,237 votes.

Coming out tops was Hui Ying's childhood friend Ramkarpal Singh, the son of another legendary DAP leader, the late Karpal Singh.

"It's hollow to say Ramkarpal won because he is neutral and not tied to any faction because obviously he won also because his family is still widely respected," an analyst told PoliticsNow Malaysia. 

"So it's not fair to trash Hui Ying for dynastic politics yet. Only her political rivals especially from the other political parties would attack her for that. Penang people do respect and trust family names but not blindly. Hui Ying must show she is capable on her own, that's all." 

In a statement on Friday (Oct 11), Hui Ying's office announced her condition.

"On Oct 4, 2024, the Deputy Finance Minister underwent a successful operation by a specialist at a government hospital and is currently recovering at her residence,” the statement read.

"Although officially on medical leave until early November, the Deputy Finance Minister is committed to returning to her duties on Oct 17, 2024, coinciding with the commencement of the Third Meeting of the Third Session of the 15th Parliament and the presentation of the 2025 Budget.” 

Hui Ying, who is the MP for Tanjung constituency in Penang, has been assured of a full recovery within the designated timeframe, the statement added. It also confirmed that the Tanjong MP Service Centre will continue to operate as usual.

Written by Stan Lee, PoliticsNow Malaysia

https://politicsnowmy.blogspot.com/