This is a list of notable Malaysians of Chinese origin, including original immigrants who obtained Malaysian citizenship and their Malaysian descendants. Entries on this list are demonstrably notable by having a linked current article or reliable sources as footnotes against the name to verify they are notable and define themselves either full or partial Chinese, whose ethnic origin lie in China.

This list also includes emigrant Malaysians of Chinese origin and could be taken as a list of famous Malaysians of Chinese origin.

Entertainment

Film Amber Chia () – international model and actress Angelica Lee Sin Je () – award-winning actress Angie Cheung (张慧仪) – actress based in Hong Kong Carmen Soo (苏慧敏) – international model and actress Carrie Lee Sze Kei () – international actress and host; Miss Chinese Cosmos International 2004/05 Champion, Phoenix TV Hong Kong Chen Han Wei (陈汉玮) – award-winning television actor based in Singapore Chris Tong (童冰玉) – actress Christopher Lee ()– leading television actor in Singapore; has also acted in joint China-Taiwan-HK-Singapore productions Fish Liew (廖子妤）– award-winning actress and model based in Hong Kong Hannah Tan – singer and actress from Sarawak Isaac Hor (贺倾文) – online personality, post, and emcee James Lee (李添兴) – film director James Wan (温子仁) – film director. Wan was born in Kuching, Malaysia before migrating to Australia when he was seven years old. Howard Hon Kahoe - actor from Kuala Lumpur Hun Haqeem - actor from Kuching Jesseca Liu (刘子绚) – actress from Langkawi, based in Singapore Koe Yeet (高艺) – television and movie actress Lai Meng (黎明) – veteran actress Ling Tan (陈曼龄) – international model Lyndel Soon (孙玉心) – international actress Melvin Sia (谢佳见) – Sarawak, Malaysian/Taiwan actor, model, host, singer Michelle Yeoh () – international actress Mimi Chu (朱咪咪) - actress, singer, host, and emcee based in Hong Kong Ng Tian Hann (黄天汉) – director Phyllis Quek (郭妃丽) – television actress and singer based in Singapore Shaun Chen (陈泓宇) – actor based in Singapore Tan Chui Mui (陈翠梅) – film director, won an award in Pusan Film Festival 2006 Tsai Ming-liang () – Taiwan-based award-winning director Vivien Yeo () – television actress who has acted in Hong Kong movies and serials Yang Bao Bei (杨宝贝) - film actress and YouTuber Nicholas Teo (张栋梁) - Singer and Voice Actor

Comedy Douglas Lim (林有信) - comedian, actor, television presenter and YouTuber Nigel Ng (黄瑾瑜) – UK-based Malaysian stand-up comedian (Uncle Roger) and YouTuber Ronny Chieng (钱信伊) – stand-up comedian

Fine arts Yong Mun Sen (杨曼生; 1896–1962) –-Kuching born Penangite watercolorist and Malaysian artist; "father of Malaysian painting"; one of the founders of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts or NAFA, Singapore, Penang Art Society C. N. Liew (刘庆伦; born 1975) – K.L.-born artist who took the traditional artform of calligraphy to a whole new dimension with his creation of Surrealligraphy Chang Fee Ming (郑辉明；born 1959) – Terengganu-born watercolor painter Poesy Liang (梁小詩；born 1975) – multidisciplinary artist, poet, composer Red Hong Yi (康怡) - Sabah-born artist and architectural designer Tang Tuck Kan (鄧德根; 1934–2012)- Pioneer Artist of Malaysian Modern Art Movement in the 60s and 70s. Lee Lee Lan (1944–2022) – Malaysian ballet dancer and choreographer

Music Ah Niu (Tan Kheng Seong, ) – singer Alicia Wong Ling Ling () - member of K-pop girl group Kiiras Andrew Tan (陈势安) – Taiwan-based singer Danell Lee Chieh Hun () – singer who won the second season of Malaysian Idol Elizabeth Tan () – singer-songwriter Eric Moo () – Taiwan-based singer Fish Leong () – Taiwan-based singer Freya Lim () - Taiwan-born Malaysian Mandopop singer Fuying & Sam – Malaysian music duo Imee Ooi (黃慧音) - Chinese-Malaysian record producer, composer, and singer who composes and arranges music for classic Buddhist chant, mantra, and dharani. Gary Cao () – singer and composer Gin Lee (李幸倪) - Hong Kong-based singer Isaac Voo Kai Meng (邬凯名) - member of K-Pop group IN2IT Karen Kong ( / ) – singer from Labuan; performs in Malay, which is unique for a Malaysian Chinese singer Michael Wong () – singer Namewee (Wee Meng Chee / ) – singer-songwriter Nicholas Teo () – singer Penny Tai () – singer-songwriter who won the best composer in the 17th Golden Melody Awards Quincy Tan () – singer-songwriter Rynn Lim () – singer Tan Zhi Hui Celine ()– Indonesia-based singer and member of idol group JKT48 Victor Wong () – singer and composer Vince Chong (张英胜) – singer You Zhangjing (尤长靖) - member of C-Pop group Nine Percent

Fashion Jimmy Choo (周仰杰) – born in Penang, footwear designer based in London Sheena Liam (粘悦馨) – Asia's Next Top Model (cycle 2) winner

Beauty pageant titleholders Alexis Sue-Ann Seow - Miss World Malaysia 2019, model, fashion blogger and emcee. She competed at the Miss World 2019 and was placed as one of the top 40 semi-finalists. Carey Ng – Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 Jane Teoh - Miss Universe Malaysia 2018 Josephine Lena Wong - Miss Malaysia Universe 1970 and was placed as one of the Top 15 semi-finalists of Miss Universe 1970. Larissa Ping Liew - Miss World Malaysia 2018 and was placed as one of the Top 30 semi-finalists of Miss World 2018. She is of Chinese and Kenyah parentage. Levy Li - Miss Malaysia Universe 2008 Lesley Cheam - Miss Universe Malaysia 2022

Businesspeople Major China Dato' Tan Hiok Nee – wealthiest and most influential Chinese in Johor during the 19th century Tan Chay Yan - rubber plantation merchant and philanthropist, was noted in Malayan history as the first man to plant rubber on a commercial basis Cheah Cheang Lim – a businessman and miner, also involved in the anti-opium movement and campaigned for Chinese status in the Malaya Robert Kuok – richest man in Malaysia and southeast Asia as of 2011 Lim Goh Tong – billionaire businessman who developed Genting Highlands and owns Genting Group Chen Lip Keong - businessman and casino owner of NagaWorld. Ranked #7 in Malaysia's 50 Richest in 2018 Lim Kang Hoo – 19th richest person in Malaysia, as of 2014 Cheong Yoke Choy – tin miner, philanthropist and benefactor of Chinese education during the British Malaya era Choong Chin Liang – businessman and philanthropist, "Heart Man" of Ipoh Chung Keng Quee – first Malaysian-Chinese capitalist; innovator in tin mining; owner of the largest mine of all in the country at that time, the Kong Loon Kongsi, in Kamunting, Perak; has business interests in Mergui, Peru, Hong Kong and China; founder of the Penang Chinese Town Hall Chung Thye Phin – first Malaysian-Chinese miner to introduce the latest appliances on the mines, under the supervision of a European engineer; founder of the Toh Allang Chinese Tin Company in Perak, the first Chinese limited liability company, in 1925; member of the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce Eu Tong Sen – founder of Eu Yan Sang Foo Choo Choon – Hakka tin miner, revenue farmer and businessman from Penang; in his time, was said to have been the richest Chinese person in the world Francis Yeoh – runs YTL Group; son of Yeoh Tiong Lay Lee Loy Seng – founder of Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad Lee Shin Cheng – Chairman/CEO of Malaysian conglomerate IOI Group; 2nd richest person in Malaysia as of 2011 Leong Sin Nam – Malaysian businessman Loh Boon Siew – of Boon Siew Honda Loke Yew – businessman and philanthropist during British Malaya Mark Chang Mun Kee – founder of MOL AccessPortal and JobStreet.com, current CEO of JobStreet.com Peter Pek – group managing director of the Malaysian operations of Mercatus+, spokesperson on branding Phan Ying Tong - Founder, managing director and CEO of Oriental Bank PLC Quek Leng Chan – chairman and co-founder of Hong Leong Group; 5th richest person in Malaysia as of 2011 Jeffrey Cheah Fook Ling – Sunway Group founder and chairman, the 19th richest person in Malaysia as of 2011 Lim Kok Thay – current CEO of Genting Group; 13th richest person in Malaysia as of 2011 William Cheng – Chairman of Lion Group, which also owns Parkson Group; 16th richest person in Malaysia as of 2011 Teh Hong Piow – chairman and founder of Public Bank; 6th richest person in Malaysia as of 2011 Teoh Tiang Chye – merchant, philanthropist, and Justice of the Peace in Malacca. Tiong Hiew King – media and timber tycoon, controls Chinese media, Ming Pao and Sin Chew Daily, managing director/CEO of Rimbunan Hijau Group; 10th richest person in Malaysia as of 2011 Vincent Tan Chee Yioun – businessman, owner of Berjaya Group; 9th richest person in Malaysia as of 2011 Yeap Chor Ee – Was once the richest man within Malaysia, but the family is still considered to be one of the richest Yeoh Tiong Lay – founder of YTL Group; 7th richest person in Malaysia as of 2011 Lillian Too – feng shui master Chan Tien Ghee – Businessman and former chairman of Cardiff City Football Club, Wales. Tan Hock Eng - CEO of Broadcom Inc., the highest earning CEO in the US in 2017. Was born and raised in Penang, Malaysia

Gastronomy Kwan Swee Lian - Chef and businessperson, known as 'Queen of Nasi Lemak' Kwen Liew - Malaysian chef based in Paris, France Sherson Lian - Celebrity chef, television host

Medicine, science and technology Lim Boon Keng (1868–1957) – first Malayan to receive a Queen's Scholarship, gained admission to the University of Edinburgh and graduated in 1892 with a first class honours degree in medicine Wu Lien-teh () (1879–1960) – renowned plague fighter and pioneer in the modernization of China's public health system; first medical student of Chinese descent to study at University of Cambridge in 1896, after winning the Queen's Scholarship held in Singapore; first Malaysian Chinese nominated to receive a Nobel Prize in Medicine, in 1935Wu Lien-Teh, Plague Fighter: The Autobiography of a Modern Chinese Physician. Areca Books, 2014 (reprint). Gu Hongming - Penang-born scholar and famous professor in Peking University firstly established Pua Khein-Seng (潘建成) – CEO of Phison Electronics Corporation, arguably one of the inventors of the USB flash drive Cheah Ming Tatt – biologist specializing in immunology and genetics, a recipient of Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Future Scientists Fellowship for his work on RNA splicing Shu Jie Lam - Research Chemist at University of Melbourne Moi Meng Ling - virologist and professor at the University of Tokyo Chiang Ti Ming (张世明) (1976–2007) - child prodigy and particle physicist

Legal Wee Chong Jin – First Chief Justice of Singapore (1963–1990) Yong Pung How – Second Chief Justice of Singapore (1990–2006) Chan Sek Keong – Third Chief Justice of Singapore (2006–2012) Tan Boon Teik – Attorney-General of Singapore (1969–1992) Chang Min Tat – former Federal Court judge Lim Beng Hong (B. H. Oon) (1898–1979) – pioneering female lawmaker Ong Hock Thye – former Chief Justice of Malaya

Politicians

Early history Kapitan China Koh Lay Huan (辜禮歡) – first Kapitan China of Penang, and also the Kapitan Cina of Kedah at Kuala Muda Kapitan China Tan Kee Soon - first Kapitan China of Tebrau, Johor Bahru and also the first leader of Ngee Heng Kongsi of Johor Kapitan China Seah Tee Heng - third Kapitan China of Johor, was one of two Chinese members to the Council of State Major China Dato' Tan Hiok Nee – wealthiest and most influential Chinese in Johor during the 19th century, Johor Kapitan China, the second leader of the Ngee Heng Kongsi of Johor, one of the Kangchu Johor; Jalan Tan Hiok Nee in Johor Bahru is named after him Kapitan China Lim Ah Siang - third leader of the Ngee Heng Kongsi of Johor Capitan China Chung Keng Quee – leader of the "Five Associations" or Go-Kuan and the Hai San, Kapitan China of Perak and Penang, member of the Commission for the Pacification of Larut, founding member of the Perak State Council