▁federal ▁cabinet ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁However , ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁Dr . ▁Lim ▁was ▁exp elled ▁from ▁the ▁M CA ▁after ▁going ▁against ▁the ▁then ▁M CA ▁president ▁Tun ▁Tan ▁S iew ▁Sin ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁joined ▁Parti ▁Ger ak an ▁Rak y at ▁Malays ia ▁( G er ak an ). ▁ ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁U lu ▁K inta ▁Ger ak an ▁division ▁head ▁the ▁next ▁year ▁and ▁moved ▁up ▁to ▁become ▁Per ak ▁Ger ak an ▁head ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁party ' s ▁deput y ▁president . ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁Lim ▁res igned ▁as ▁sen ator ▁and ▁cont ested ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁Per ak ▁General ▁E lections ▁in ▁the ▁J al ong ▁state ▁seat ▁in ▁Per ak , ▁which ▁he ▁won ▁narrow ly ▁and ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁a ▁state ▁Ex co ▁member ▁for ▁two ▁terms ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁the ▁medical ▁doctor - turn ed - polit ician ▁became ▁the ▁Ger ak an ▁President . ▁For ▁the ▁first ▁three ▁terms ▁as ▁the ▁party ▁head , ▁he ▁faced ▁challeng es ▁and ▁successfully ▁def ended ▁the ▁position ▁at ▁every ▁party ▁election ▁since ▁then . ▁He ▁cont ested ▁the ▁Ber u as ▁Parliament ▁seat ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁and ▁won ▁by ▁a ▁hand some ▁margin . ▁He ▁narrow