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Founder of the platform, with more than 11 years of experience in marketing within the oils and fats industry.
Lim was a fearless advocate who raised palm oil from a humble crop to a global commodity.
Many people ask me about the reason for my deep passion for palm oil. Upon reflection, one decisive, unforgettable moment becomes clear: a moment of inspiration in 2003, when I met Tun Dr. Lim Keng Yaik. As Minister of Primary Industries from 1986 to 2004, Lim was a courageous advocate who elevated the status of palm oil from a simple agricultural crop to a global commodity. More than a decade after his death, his legacy still stirs something deep within me.
In 2003, I had the opportunity to deliver a speech titled "A Century of Oil Palm in Malaysia" during a gathering organized by the Malaysian Palm Oil Association, thanks to the then Executive Director Mr. M. R. Chandran. I delivered the speech with enthusiasm, my eyes fixed on one man: Lim. He was silent, smoking a cigarette, but he was fully engaged.
I proposed the idea of appointing the actress Michelle Yeoh as an ambassador for Malaysian palm oil - to counter organizations like the WWF, which enlisted celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez. After the speech, I approached his table; he smiled and said: "Excellent, young man. Palm oil has a future with you." Then he added, laughing: "And I loved the Michelle Yeoh idea... she is my niece, did you know?"
That moment is still engraved in my mind. His charisma, his sense of humor, and his media instinct were all inspiring.
Lim was born in Tapah, in the state of Perak, and lost his mother when he was twelve. He studied medicine in Belfast, Ireland, and returned to Malaysia in 1964 as a young doctor known for his compassion - sometimes treating patients for free. People nicknamed him "the good mad doctor," and he carried that spirit with him into the world of politics.
He was appointed Minister of Primary Industries in 1986, diving deep into Malaysia's complex commodities sector, with a sharp memory and a strategic mind. During the American Soybean Association (ASA) anti-palm-oil campaign in 1987, Lim led the confrontation with courage and shrewdness.
In the late 1980s, the ASA pushed for American legislation against palm oil. Although the market was small, Lim was alert to something deeper: a trade war disguised behind a health pretext.
Inspired by Sun Tzu's Art of War, the game of Mahjong, and Irish humor, Lim launched a three-pronged attack:
By 1989, Lim brandished his "hydrogen bomb" - the exposure of the dangers of hydrogenated oils such as soybean oil. The ASA then backed down.
Ong's research on the sn-2 fatty acid position refuted claims that palm oil was unhealthy, while Bek's bold responses at international conferences terrified competitors.
If Lim was the strategist, then Bek was the fiery defender, and Ong was the scientific engine. An unforgettable trio.
What is the hydrogen bomb? It is a reference to the trans fats produced by the hydrogenation of oils - a process that palm oil does not need. Lim understood this and used it cleverly.
He joked: "I am a real doctor, trained in Belfast... with the Irish Republican Army!" Then he delivered his punchline: "And I have a hydrogen bomb in my pocket!"
Behind the humor was a brilliant mind and deep understanding. They were not just words, but scientific facts backed by strategy and rare social intelligence.
Lim aspired to an oil extraction rate of 25% and a production of 35 tons of fresh fruit per hectare - the "25:35 vision" by the year 2020, goals that have not yet been achieved.
He would rebuke the underperformers: "If you cannot compete, get out!" But he encouraged innovation. He joked that he wanted a palm fruit "the size of Dolly Parton" - a coded message to botanists to push the boundaries.
Lim was famous for his powerful, emotional, and unfiltered speeches. Some nicknamed him "the umbrella minister" because the front-row seats needed umbrellas to shield them from the fervor of his speech.
When Chandran suggested that the MPOA join the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2004, Lim raised an eyebrow and said:
"So, you intend to sleep with the NGOs?"
Chandran replied: "Yes, but we dream different dreams."
Lim answered: "Remember, it's your neck!" — Lim in his usual style: sarcastic, cautious, but supportive.
Lim was not just a minister. He was the voice of palm oil, its conscience, and its protector. One of his colleagues said:
"He surpassed everyone in the agricultural sector. With his mind and passion, he understood palm oil and rubber with astonishing depth and speed."
He believed that agriculture is about people, not just production. Among his famous remarks during a debate on wages:
"When the generators shut off and the farms go dark, I wonder what the workers do?... Strangely, dark nights always end with an increase in births!"
Behind the humor was a deep respect for the workers who keep this sector alive.
The new generation may not have heard his voice, but those of us who did hear it know what we have lost, and know what must be preserved. His legacy is not just a chapter in the history of palm oil, but a plan of courage, clarity, and faith.
Rest in peace, Tun Lim Keng Yaik (1939-2012). You lit the way. And now, it is our turn to carry the torch.
Source: The Edge Malaysia
