Datuk Wira Poh Ah Tiam Machap Recreational Park

Datuk Wira Poh Ah Tiam (; 1 April 1952 – 15 March 2007) was a

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

, businessman and community leader of

Chinese descent Overseas Chinese people are people of Chinese origin who reside outside Greater China (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan). As of 2011, there were over 40.3 million overseas Chinese. As of 2023, there were 10.5 million people livin ...

. Poh was born in Kampung Belimbing, near

Durian Tunggal Durian Tunggal is a mukim and town in Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia. 69% of the mukim () is administered by Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council, while the rest is administered by Alor Gajah Municipal Council. Education * Universiti Tekn ...

, Malacca. He and his family moved to nearby Machap Baru, where Poh in later years contributed significantly to the small town's development. After working as a

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

and later venturing into

business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for ...

, Poh stood as a state assembly candidate for

Pulau Sebang Pulau Sebang (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ) is a mukim and town in Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia, which borders Tampin town of Tampin District, Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan ...

in the 1986 General Elections and won, beginning his political career. He was the

Malacca Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia located in the Peninsular Malaysia#Other features, southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca ...

state

Malaysian Chinese Association The Malaysian Chinese Association (Abbreviation, abbrev: MCA; Malay language, Malay: ''Persatuan Cina Malaysia''), formerly known as the Malayan Chinese Association, is an ethnic List of political parties in Malaysia, political party in Malaysi ...

(MCA) and the Malacca State Housing and Local Government Committee Chairman, as well as the Malacca state assemblyman for Pulau Sebang (1986-1995), Bukit Sedanan (1995-2004) and Machap (2004-2007). During his tenure, the Machap Baru town saw extensive development, with new

housing Housing refers to a property containing one or more Shelter (building), shelter as a living space. Housing spaces are inhabited either by individuals or a collective group of people. Housing is also referred to as a human need and right to ...

and public facilities constructed. Poh died on 15 March 2007 at the Pantai Hospital Malacca due to

renal failure Kidney failure, also known as renal failure or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), is a medical condition in which the kidneys can no longer adequately filter waste products from the blood, functioning at less than 15% of normal levels. Kidney fa ...

arising from

lymphatic cancer Lymphoma is a group of blood and lymph tumors that develop from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). The name typically refers to just the cancerous versions rather than all such tumours. Signs and symptoms may include enlarged lymph node ...

, triggered a by-election in Machap on 12 April 2007, which elects Lai Meng Chong of

Barisan Nasional Barisan Nasional (BN; ) is a political coalition of Malaysia that was founded in 1974 as a coalition of centre-right and right-wing political parties to succeed the Alliance Party. It is the third largest political coalition with 30 seats in ...

as its assemblyman. Following his death, a highway and a recreational park in Machap Baru were built and named after him to commemorate his contribution to the state.

Election results

Honours

* : **

Companion I of the

Exalted Order of Malacca The Exalted Order of Malacca () is the third-highest state order of Malacca which is conferred by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca. The order was constituted in 1978 by Yang di-Pertua Negeri Syed Zahiruddin along with the Premier and Exalted ...

(DMSM) – Datuk (1992) ** MY-MAL Exalted Order of Malacca

Knight Commander of the

(DCSM) – Datuk Wira (2001)

References

1952 births 2007 deaths Malaysian politicians of Chinese descent Malaysian Chinese Association politicians Members of the Malacca State Legislative Assembly {{Malaysia-politician-stub