"I'm Still Alive," Says Keng Yaik Of Death News On SMS

"My goodness! It seems that so many people wish I was dead," screamed Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik over the telephone, startling this reporter who had called him up this morning to follow up on an issue.

Taken aback by the remark, the reporter collected his composure and inquired the reasons for the outburst, only to discover that the Energy, Water and Communications Minister was earlier jolted out of bed by a shocking news, of a death, that of himself, circulated via the short messaging service (SMS).

"The SMS said I have passed away. Calls are coming in non-stop from my friends, politicians, party members inquiring about it. Some called my aide to inquire about me, if it was true that I have passed away. "I am still very much alive, thank you," said Dr Lim, explaining that upon checking, he found out that there had been a mistaken identity between him and Tan Sri Lim Yoke Cheng who died at the Pantai Medical Centre here yesterday evening.

Lim Yoke Cheng was a businessman and the former president of the Federation of Malaysian Chinese Assembly Hall. He was popularly known as "Chicken King" for he once controlled KFC Malaysia.

"They had mistaken me with Tan Sri Lim Yoke Cheng. Maybe since in Chinese, both our names are almost similar. I guess because of that somebody wrongly sent out the message," said Dr Lim. "Or, maybe because they didn't see me at the Subang Air Force Base to welcome the Prime Minister home that they believed I was dead," pondered the minister.

Dr Lim's press secretary Tan Chuan Koon, when contacted later, said the SMS had been sent out by mistake by a media organisation, translating the name of the late Lim Yoke Cheng from Mandarin into English as Lim Keng Yaik.

The Malaysian although he does not know Dr. Lim Keng Yaik personally, still wishes him a long life.