Lim Kit Siang - Patriot, Leader, Fighter

by Liew Chin Tong, Wan Hamidi Hamid, Ng Wei Ling

The story of Lim Kit Siang is greatly intertwined with that of the nation. This book, however, is not a typical biography. It is neither a comprehensive account of the life of a statesman nor a hagiography. It is a tribute and a personal story of Lim Kit Siang’s political life, and the organisation he is associated with – the Democratic Action Party (DAP) – in the past five-and-a-half decades.

It touches on his successes and failures, joy and sorrow, and hope and despair. Despite countless trials and tribulations, his determination and spirit never once wavered. While Lim Kit Siang is not a person who easily opens up about himself, there are still a lot of captivating stories told in this book – about his passion for the Pokemon GO game, his voracious reading habit, life in detention, accidents and mishaps, and even personal heartbreaking moments in life.

At 80, Lim Kit Siang shows no sign of slowing down. His vision and actions will continue to guide the path of the party and the nation in the many more years to come.

291 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2021

Reviews

[Lyana Khairuddin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit, as a child who grew up in an UMNO household in the '80s-90s; DAP and Uncle Kit were not talked of kindly. I grew up believing that DAP is 'Parti Cina', rather than really understanding the nuances of politics. It was only in my late 20s that I had my 'political awakening' and one that I felt, as a science student, was lacking from my education growing up.

This book can be said to be a love letter to Kit Siang. While his contributions to Malaya/Malaysia must not be discounted, it also made me reflect on our (ordinary voters) need for a hero. We must unlearn this and realise that Members of Parliament are those representing us, work for us, and must meet our demands - not the other way around.

Good read, although could benefit from better copy-writing and more structured/chronological storytelling.

[Neida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe that by reading, learning about each of the political parties would give one a better understanding of their aspirations, pragmatism in their path to a better Malaysia. Watching and listening to the way these politicians promote themselves to champion the problems faced by many Malaysians today can roughly give a good indication on how aware, focused and attentive they are to the issues at hand.
These are the times when you could see them all over their constituency; shaking hands, having drinks and jovial conversation with the locals or even wading through the knee-deep flood water to lend a helping hand. But most importantly, they need to walk-the-talk. Whatever promises given, they should not just lost to smithereens. We badly need better working ministers who are not just fair and trustworthy but also understands the technicality of the issues in their portfolios.
As a citizen, we should not be afraid or shy ourselves from the knowledge of knowing and understanding everything that are happening around us. We must open up and clear our minds to be able to analyse matters wisely and with great wisdom.

[F. Nizar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to understand politics in Malaysia, from the perspective of DAP. It also shares about 22-months of Pakatan Harapan Era and the reasons behind Sheraton Move. Super easy to understand, clear words used and recommended to Malaysian youths who fight for equality and justice in this country.

[Khairunnisa Azman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the title, I feel like the book is more about the history and journey of DAP rather than Kit himself. Nevertheless, it was well written and it gave you an overview on the party and also an insight of the fall of PH from DAP's POV. I actually enjoyed reading it, would’ve given it a 5 stars if I can get more perspectives on Lim Kit Siang.