TRAVERSING INTO THE PAST (source: Tatler website)
Malaysia history tells the tale of THREE VISIONARY LEADERS who fought long and hard to seek freedom for our beloved nation. Lily Ong examines how the evergreen values upheld by these leaders resonate with the Post-Independence generation of today
It was August 31, 1957. Dataran Merdeka reverberated with the echoes of joy and triumph, as the people of Malaya celebrated their independence. It was a moment the people of Malaya had waited for, culminated after approximately 446 years ever since the Portuguese colonised the Sultanate of Malacca. It was a moment that transcended race, gender or even religion. It was the turning point in our history, which paved the way to the nation we are today. The thrice resounding call of ‘Merdeka’ into the air led by a man who worked tirelessly for this success, followed by the jubilant cheers of the people, will forever be etched in the minds of those who were present in that historic moment. Ever since then, our country has developed by leaps and bounds into a modern one befitting the 21st century.
There is no stopping Malaysia as it continues to bulldoze its way into being a full-fledged developed country – whether it’s in the arena of economy, sports or even human capital. However, a question arises from this surge of development – is modern science and technology the only key to a golden future? What about the people of our country, who will be the driving force of our nation’s growth? What are the core traits or values that constitute a true citizen of Malaysia? To answer these questions, Malaysia Tatler looks back into the past to seek inspiration from the three national heroes who have shaped the foundation of our nation with their hard work and core values. Through the eyes of seven individuals from the post-Merdeka generation, we rediscover the meaning of being a true citizen of our nation.
TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN PUTRA AL-HAJ
A hero, the people’s leader, the man who led Malaya to Indepen-dence, the first Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaya – these are the words we use to honour Tunku Abdul Rahman. Although it has been 53 years since the independence of our nation, the memories and images of Tunku are timelessly preserved in history books, read by school children and adults alike.
However, despite all these efforts to honour Tunku, there is very little understanding of the ideological battles he encountered to advocate independence for the nation. The value of honouring Tunku’s memory today emphasises more on his achievements, but less on his beliefs, principles and vision of justice and fairness for the people of Malaysia. Three men with varying political beliefs aspire to bring the focus back to our founding father’s vision for our nation.
Wan Saiful Wan Jan, Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin Tuanku Muhriz, and Wan Mohd Firdaus are three friends who were working in London. “I had been having separate conversations with Tunku Abidin and Firdaus about the need for an independent think-tank promoting classical liberal and libertarian ideas since 2004. Things came together in 2006 when we first registered Malaysia Think Tank in London with the purpose of looking at libertarian ideas in the uk and localising those ideas for Malaysia,” says Wan Saiful Wan Jan, a smart and jovial gentleman with a sincere grin that will endear him to any who enter into a conversation with him.
Fast forward to early 2010, the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) was successfully launched in the presence of three generations of Tunku Abdul Rahman’s family, including his daughter, Tunku Datuk Datin Paduka Khadijah, and great-granddaughter Sharyn Shufiyan who spoke at the event. ideas is Malaysia’s first independent cross-partisan free market think-tank – supported by notable personalities in the country such as historian Professor Emeritus Khoo Kay Kim and a cross-party advisory group comprising both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat members. Tunku Abidin, who is the second son of Negeri Sembilan’s Yang DiPertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, serves as Founding President, while Wan Saiful is the Founding Chief Executive and Wan Mohd Firdaus serves as the Founding Director for this non-profit organisation.
Despite the differences in their political leanings and beliefs, the three men stand united under the powerful idea of democracy and freedom. 
IDEAS is inspired by the vision of Tunku Abdul Rahman, who stated in the 1957 Proclamation of Independence that Malaysia should “be forever a sovereign democratic and independent State founded upon the principles of liberty and justice and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of its people and the maintenance of a just peace among all nations.” Tunku, who was always pragmatic, believed in the importance of justice and liberty for his people and led his cabinet to empower the people of the nation. ”Tunku Abdul Rahman was the Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher and Boris Johnson of our nation all rolled into one – a statesman, a great reformer and a jovial gentleman,” says the tall, refined and bespectacled Tunku Abidin with a piercing gaze that speaks volumes about his high intelligence. “He was true to himself and did not hide his weaknesses – qualities rare in a leader these days.”
Wan Mohd Firdaus, a polished young man with a penchant for economics and history, also believes that Tunku achieved independence for Malaya because the British understood and saw Tunku’s vision for an independent Malaya. “Tunku understood Malaya like no other. He might have been of royal descent, but he understood the poor and their needs. He was keen on helping the Malays, but he knew that good law-abiding non-Malay citizens would have an equal say in this new country,” he notes.
The logo chosen by the founding members of ideas is in the shape of a wau bulan, a metaphor for the kite of freedom. “Malaysians are born free but there are many interventions in our liberty to live the way we choose. We need to bring back Tunku Abdul Rahman’s love of freedom to our country,” opines Wan Saiful.
Wan Mohd Firdaus states that he believes one of Tunku Abdul Rahman’s enduring yet admirable traits was his empathy towards all races, religions, classes and political divides. “He was accepted by all his people. He achieved this because he understood that Malaysia belongs to all Malaysians and he believes that the Malaysian dream is attainable for all,” he says passionately.
Today, IDEAS carries out research, holds lectures, has some publications and gives suggestions on promoting and educating the public about market-based solutions for public policy reforms and changes. The three founding members are optimistic about pioneering change in Malaysia and upholding Tunku Abdul Rahman’s strong vision for the nation. They involve themselves in the operations of IDEAS as much as they can, writing articles and giving speeches or lectures whenever necessary.
As we strive to move forward as a nation towards the future, perhaps we should look back and explore the values upheld by the man who successfully procured independence for the country he loved. “Many people think that moving forward requires brand new philosophies, slogans or visions. But I think Tunku Abdul Rahman himself laid much of the groundwork for our nation. Most of our people, not the least some of our leaders, seem to have forgotten the hard work of their predecessors,” says Tunku Abidin. To learn more about ideas, log onto www.ideas.org.my.
TUN TAN CHENG LOCK
Tun Tan Cheng Lock learnt at a very young age the importance of hard work in order to achieve his dreams. Although his grandfather, Tan Choon Bock, was wealthy, he tied up his assets in a family trust that lasted 84 years after his death. As a young man, Tun Tan Cheng Lock failed to obtain a scholarship to study law and was forced to become a teacher at Raffles Institution in Singapore. Realising he was unsuited to teaching, his mother, Lee Seck Bin, suggested he try rubber planting. He took his mother’s advice and returned to Malacca to work in a rubber estate. He was successful as a planter and in April 1910, together with some business associates, Tun Tan Cheng Lock established the United Malacca Rubber Estate, which has just celebrated its 100th anniversary. However, it was not his admirable business acumen that made Tun Tan Cheng Lock famous. Although he had a cordial relationship with the British, he was deeply influenced by the Indian Congress Party’s fight for Independence in the 1940s. After the end of the Japanese Occupation in Malaya, Tun Tan left India and returned to Malaya and in February 1949, he founded the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) and history was forever changed. He worked side by side with Tunku Abdul Rahman to ensure independence for the people of Malaya, and fought for the rights of the Malaysian Chinese community. Unity was a priority for Tun Tan and he worked hard to integrate the Chinese and Indian communities with Malay society.
Ng Ming Shern and Phang Kin Hoong are two great-grandsons of Tun Tan Cheng Lock. Eloquent and charming, Ming Shern possesses a razor-sharp wit and a jovial sense of humour that reflects his easygoing personality. Kin Hoong is the older and more serious of the two, but once he lets his guard down, he will liven up the conversation with his quicksilver smile and cheerful laughter. Kin Hoong is an investment analyst while Ming Shern works as a management consultant for a global consulting company.
Tun Tan Cheng Lock’s granddaughter Tan Siok Choo once revealed in an interview that her grandfather used to read books on Chinese literature, philosophy and poetry. Her nephew Ming Shern shares another story about the visionary founder of MCA: “He made his children memorise a Chinese poem that included the following verse: If wrong you do, If false you play, In summer among the flowers, You will atone, You will repay, In winter among the showers.”Kin Hoong and Ming Shern have never met their great-grandfather as Tun Tan Cheng Lock passed away before they were born. But these two young men have been regaled with tales about him and have developed much respect for the heroic figure who now lives on in history books. “I was told again and again how he was a natural leader. He was responsible, caring and believed in integrity and justice,” reflects Kin Hoong. His cousin, Ming Shern wholeheartedly agrees, “A common story that I heard about him is how he espoused the merits of hard work and integrity – he often said ‘Honest living, however menial the work, is not to be despised.’” His emphasis on integrity and his staunch belief in Confucius are two of his distinguishing traits that set him apart from the worldwide politicians of today who dominate the news headlines with allegations of their corruption and wayward policies.
Although Kin Hoong lauds the government’s efforts to honour our nation’s founding fathers, he suggests that we look deeper into what they are recognised for: “I think it is good the heroes of old are recognised, not only for their contributions but what these heroes symbolise. When you think about it, our founding fathers were people of different races and backgrounds who came together with one mission – to achieve independence for our country.”
Tun Tan Cheng Lock, like his close friend Tunku Abdul Rahman, envisioned Malaysia as a country united under the same patriotic spirit. “He had a multiracial outlook and he believed that we should accept each other, regardless of our race, culture and religion. That was why he fought so hard to ensure there is fairness for all,” says Kin Hoong.
According to Heng Pek Koon’s book Chinese Politics in Malaysia – A History of the MCA, if Tun Tan Cheng Lock and his son Tun Tan Siew Sin did not fight for the legal principle of jus soli, over three-quarters of the Malaysian Chinese population would have been denied citizenship. “He fought against injustice in our nation, for all Malayans and not only for his own race. Prior to independence, he worked tirelessly and tried to improve the lives of the less fortunate like the “Mui Tsai” (slave girls), Indian chettiars and poor Malay fishermen,” adds Ming Shern. “His steadfast integrity, wisdom and dedication to the people are definitely traits that should be emulated by the new generation today, as we do.”
TUN VT SAMBANTHAN
Before Tun VT Sambanthan put his daughter, Deva Kunjari Sengamalam to bed, he would tell her stories based on a land ruled by a Lion King called ‘Veera Raja Singam’ or Heroic King Lion in English. “In his stories, peace always prevailed among humans and animals. He told me tales of how two little girls are welcomed in the jungle where this King ruled, and where a lamb and a tiger walked together side by side. He related the stories to economy, science and international peace – such as how the bees will cross-pollinate the crops for better yields, or how the King invited scientists to work on his land to develop a bomb neutraliser,” says Kunjari as she is better known among her family and friends. No doubt, these anecdotes aptly reflect the fifth elected president of the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC) during our independence period. Born and raised in Sungai Siput, Perak, Tun VT Sambanthan studied in India, where the Indian nationalistic movement sparked his political and social curiosity. This gentle leader firmly subscribed to the Gandhian philosophy of non-violence – a philosophy he embraced until his passing in 1979. When he returned to Malaya, not only did he take up the mantle at his father’s estate, he worked hard to improve the lives of the Indian community, his main interest being education, before his rise to the helm of MIC.
Kunjari, who works as a partner in a legal firm, has the same warm eyes just like her father as well as his youthful disposition. She also inherited her mother, Toh Puan Umasundari Sambanthan’s smile – a smile that radiates compassion and sincerity with the curve of her lips. Like her parents, Kunjari is soft-spoken and articulate.
When Tun VT Sambanthan became the President of MIC, he faced the difficult task of strengthening the party while consolidating its position in the UMNO-MCA-MIC Alliance. He worked tirelessly with Tunku Abdul Rahman to procure independence from the British. After independence was won, he served as the Minister of Labour, Minister of Health, Works, Posts and Telecommunications and finally as the Minister of National Unity. He also attended to his duties as President of MIC faithfully. “He came into politics as the leader of an impoverished minority at that point. The first major problem that confronted him was the issue of fragmentation – where estates were being cut up and being sold. There were no legislations in place to protect the estate workers,” says Kunjari.
In 1960, he founded the National Land Finance Cooperative Society (NLFCS) as a means to enable the worker to acquire a share in the plantations at a cost of $100 per share, payable by monthly instalments of $10. “He managed to work closely with sympathetic bankers to mobilise estates in which they worked and thus, determine their own destiny. Through this, he managed to provide educational opportunities for the children of the members,” adds Kunjari about the contributions of Tun VT Sambanthan for his community. “He successfully mobilised the labourer community into a powerful economic force. He made a downtrodden group at the time believe in themselves when no one did.” Consistent with his belief in a multiracial nation, he opened the membership for the Co-op to non-Indians as well.Despite his preference for a dhoti as an attire of choice, Tun VT Sambanthan tirelessly worked to serve Malayans as dutifully as he did for his Indian community. “He loved our country and its people very dearly. He was not bigoted or narrow-minded. He held himself as a Malaysian first and foremost although he instilled in his community the pride of an Indian heritage, language, philosophy and culture,” says Kunjari passionately. If there is one trait Kunjari admired most about her father, it was his humility. She related how his personality and character remained unaffected by his position and status as a minister, leader and close friend of Tunku. “To quote Rudyard Kipling, my father had an ‘ability to walk with kings and not lose the common touch’. He was known to be comfortable with all levels of society – whether seated on the ground with an estate worker or in a palace setting. He could converse with people from different backgrounds due to being well-read and informed on different topics,” she shares proudly.
Kunjari also relates that her father was always hardworking in everything he did, which gained the respect of his fellow leaders. “Tunku Abdul Rahman respected my father’s commitment in getting things done – such as the Parliament House and the National Monument, which was carried out by my father. I suspect that after some time, the bond between Tunku, my father and the late Tun Tan Siew Sin was so strong that they related to the Alliance as being a party rather than a coalition of three,” she says with conviction.
Kunjari considers her parents, especially her father, as her inspiration. “He taught me that I should not be narrow-minded or judgmental. I try at all times to be Malaysian, embrace everyone as they are, and I am aware it is important that we grow together collectively as Malaysians,” she reveals candidly. Just like her father, who believed that every problem has a solution, Kunjari tries her best to come up with solutions for whatever challenges that come her way or for those who seek her advice – legal or not.
If she had one more day with her late father, she shares that she will sit at his feet – a position she loved when talking to him – and ask him about the reason why he chose to walk down the path he did: “I would like to know how he maintained good cheer even at the worst moments of political strife and during all forms of treachery that he went through.”
Filed under: Freedom & Liberty, Malaysia, Personal
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