List of Famous people who died in 1988

Tan Siew Sin was a Malaysian politician who served as the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Minister of Finance, and 3rd President of the Malaysian Chinese Association, a major component party of Alliance and later Barisan Nasional (BN) coalitions. In his term as the Minister of Finance, a new Malaysian currency, Malaysian Ringgit was introduced. He is the longest-serving Minister of Finance by serving in the position for 15 years.

Maha Thiri Thudhamma Khin Kyi was a Burmese politician and diplomat, best known for her marriage to the country's leader, Aung San, with whom she had four children, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

Xiao Jun, born Liu Honglin (劉鴻霖), was a Chinese author and intellectual from Linghai, Liaoning, China. Of Manchu ethnicity, Xiao's most famous work in China is his 1934 novel Village in August (八月的鄉村) which gained both popular and critical praise as anti-Japanese literature. He, along with Xiao Hong, is considered one of the most representative authors of the left-wing Northeast Authors Group (東北作家群). The names Xiao Hong and Xiao Jun were chosen by each author so that when put together they would be xiao xiao hongjun.

Chin Sophonpanich was a Thai entrepreneur who founded Bangkok Bank and Bangkok Insurance.

Rashad al-Shawwa was the Palestinian mayor of Gaza for eleven years from 1971 to 1982. Before becoming mayor he was an outgoing local activist in the city. He was known by Israelis and Palestinians as the pro-Jordanian "father figure" of the Gaza Strip. He is the father of artist Laila Shawwa.