VICTOR CHANG
VICTOR CHANG
1936-1991
Victor Chang was born in Shanghai, China to Australian born parents. Chang arrived in Australia from Hong Kong in 1957, and 5-years later he was studying medicine at Sydney University. He studied further in England and the USA before returning to work at Sydney’s St. Vincent’s Hospital in 1972.
He was dedicated to cardiac research which helped him to develop an artificial heart valve and researched the design for an artificial heart. Chang performed Australia’s first heart transplant operation and saved many lives during his career. He was also highly regarded for his humanitarian work in China and Indonesia, and wanted to share his knowledge and skills in South-East Asia.
Chang, 54, was murdered in a Sydney street on 4 July 1991, roughly around 7:30-8am. He was inside his car when two men rammed their vehicle into Chang’s car. Chang pulled over and the two men then jumped out of their car and pulled Chang out of his. Lieu panicked and shot Chang twice in the head, which immediately killed him. The two men fled, and left Chang’s body in the gutter next to his vehicle in Mosman.
Chiew Seng Lieu (Ah Sung), 48, the killer, was arrested at Melbourne’s airport. Phillip Lim (Choon Tee Lim), the second perpetrator fled to Malaysia and was traced, arrested and sent back to Australia.
The three men had initially planned to abduct Chang with the hope of getting a ransom in return, the third man dropped out the day before. The men chose Chang after seeing him in a magazine. Lieu already had a criminal history; he had served 12-years in a Malaysian prison for armed robbery and had a gambling addiction. In 1992, both men were found guilty of murder and were thrown behind bars. In 2010, Lim was released from prison and deported back to Malaysia and Liew was give parole in 2012 and returned to Malaysia.
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