QUEEN ELIZABETH HONOURS MALAYSIAN LAWYER FOR COMMUNITY WORK

By Neville D'Cruz

MELBOURNE, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- When Malaysian lawyer Lim Chuen Ren arrived
here in 1988, he was surprised to see that the Asian community, especially the
Chinese, did not have much financial resources and it was expensive to buy Asian
produce.

"Australia was in recession and the issue of Asian immigration raised its
head," said Lim, 61, who has a successful law firm in the central business
district, here.

"It was also when John Howard (later to become prime minister) waded into
the debate against Asian immigration. And you got the usual 'Asian go home'
graffiti and other insults," he told Bernama.

Compelled to tackle the problem, Perak state-born Lim helped to establish
the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Victoria, and became its founding secretary.


He then ran the Chinese Entrepreneurs Programme aimed at promoting the
growth and business acumen of new Chinese businesses by matching them with
experienced entrepreneurs, while at the same time providing mentoring and
leadership.

"Those days, we had to speak up for the Asian community and help (members
of) the Asian community, who were usually not conversant in English, deal with
these issues," he said.

"We organised meetings with the government, and the Australian authorities
were very keen to resolve and assist the community."

Lim has also been active in promoting trade between Malaysia and Australia
through the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) and the
Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida).

In June this year, Queen Elizabeth of Britain honoured Lim with the Medal of
the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to business, and to the Chinese
community of Victoria.

Lim, who studied at St Anthony's School in Teluk Intan in Perak state and,
later, law at the University of Singapore, was one of the earliest lawyers to
promote mediation to the Bar Council of Malaysia.

"I introduced mediation to Catherine Eu, who was then the chief executive of
the Malaysian Bar Council Secretariat," he said.

Lim continues to provide community mediation.
-- BERNAMA