The late Dr Stephen Goh was born in Malacca on 14 October 1941.
He had distinguished himself in the academia early in life and carried this excellent quality throughout his years of studies as a scholar in England and in the United States of America. After attaining an LL.B (first class) law degree from the University of Hull (1964), he repeated this feat with another first from Cambridge University (1966). In between, he passed his Bar Finals and was called to the Middle Temple. In Cambridge, he won the Trinity Hall Law Prize 1965. He also qualified with a Diploma in International Law. He crossed over to Oxford University as a St John’s College Scholar for post-graduate research and was conferred the M. Litt degree in 1968. Another scholarship took Stephen to Harvard University and there he graduated in 1969 with an LL.M (honours).
He returned to Cambridge University for doctoral research in the area of Labour and International Law and graduated with a PhD in 1972. His thesis entitled “The International Protection of Freedom of Association and the Right to Organise for Trade Union Purposes” was well regarded amongst experts in that circle. He received deserved recognition for his scholastic contribution and was invited to become a Fellow of the prestigious Council of Europe in 1973.
Stephen returned to Malaysia and lectured in the Law Faculty of the University of Malaya from 1973 to 1974. He then worked as senior manager for Petronas until 1976.
After that he practised law together with his dear wife Tiew Jee under the firm they founded together, Dr Stephen Goh and Partners, until they retired from active legal practice in 1995. Stephen was also an Arbitrator with the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration and the International Centre (Cairo) for Arbitration. In legal practice, Stephen was well sought after as a legal consultant and advisor.
After retiring from legal practice, Stephen devoted much of his time to Christian Honorary work. Two of the organisations that benefited much from his generous dedication are International Outreach Limited and The Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship Malaysia.
In his later years and sometimes in a fragile state (as his health was not the most robust), the intellectual life that had so singularly marked him out in his student and professional life never left him. Stephen’s last published work, “An Introduction to the FGBMF (Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship) in Malaysia 1978 – 2006 (Advancing God’s Kingdom in the Market Place)” was on an area of life and ministry he was passionate about since his conversion to faith in Christ, and it was befitting that he personally presented this paper at a conference held here before an august company of international scholars.
On 18 January 2010 Stephen passed on to eternity. He is survived by his wife Tiew Jee, son Sian Loong and daughter Ming Loong.