Remembering a stalwart of the industry: Chuah Mei Lin

It is with deep regret and sadness that the Asian Banker together with the industry discovered that Chuah Mei Lin, executive director of the Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM), passed away suddenly on Friday, 6 January 2017.

Mei Lin, as she was fondly known in the industry, led ABM since 6 October 2008. She is a true industry stalwart who worked tirelessly, travelled extensively, and with much finesse led its 27 member commercial banks in various initiatives to make the industry more resilient, effective, and efficient.

She forged close partnership with Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to establish a sound and stable banking system. She served alongside two governors, Zeti Akhtar Aziz and Muhammad bin Ibrahim, during her tenure, and often played the unsung role of helping formulate and review banking rules, operations and policies in meeting the needs of the changing economy.

We will always know her as a friend who actively supported our many programmes not just in Malaysia but across the region. She was an honest voice of the industry who had never flinched from speaking up for the public interest in the face of tremendous changes in the industry and of the wider social role of commercial banks, especially in adhering to orderly conduct and ethical practices.

She had tremendous energy in pursuing all the agendas of the association. Her selflessness in working with a diverse range of people is perhaps her biggest legacy and what makes her such an icon of the industry.

A Penangite by birth and a lawyer by training, Mei Lin had deep experience in both the financial services and the securities industries. Prior to joining ABM, she headed the Legal and Group Internal Compliance Division of Scomi Group Berhad and its group of companies and oversaw the Group’s activities in 35 countries.

Her diverse and exciting career had straddled several key positions including Head of the Corporate Strategy Division of Affin Bank Berhad, Head of the Legal and Secretarial Division of the United Engineers (Malaysia) Berhad (UEM) Group during the major reorganisation of the Group from 2002 to 2005 and before that, Senior Vice President, Legal Advisory & Membership Services Division of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad.

Her wake services are being held every evening until Monday, 9th January 2017, at Nirvana Memorial Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The funeral, at the same location, will be on Tuesday, 10th January 2017 at 10.00 am. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and loved ones at this time of grief.