UTAR launches Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Social and Policy Studies

From left: Datin Paduka Chew, Datin Paduka Tan, Prof Chuah, Dato’ Sri Liow, Tun Ling and Dato’ Hou with MCA’s donation

As a tribute to one of the country’s founding fathers and the first President of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), UTAR launched the Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Social and Policy Studies (TCLC) in its Sungai Long Campus on 28 February 2017.

Present at the launch were the guest of honour Transport Minister Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai, UTAR Chancellor Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and spouse Toh Puan Ena Ling, granddaughter of Tun Tan Cheng Lock Datin Paduka Tan Siok Choo, TCLC Steering Committee Chairman-cum-UTAR Council Member Senator Dato’ Hou Kok Chung, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Senator Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik, TCLC Chairperson Assoc Prof Dr Chin Yee Mun, Tun Tan’s family, as well as guests from MCA, UTAR Council and Board of Trustees, University of Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, New Era University College, and Chinese associations.

The VIPs officially launching the centre

Prof Chuah thanking MCA and Tun Tan’s family for their support

Speaking at the launch, Prof Chuah thanked MCA for their donation of RM1million to the TCLC in support of further research and to meet the centre’s goals and objectives. “It is very important to rediscover the missing parts of our history and culture, as well as the legacy of Tun Tan Cheng Lock and our founding fathers. Therefore, TCLC will conduct research on Tun Tan Cheng Lock’s life, values and political contributions, and on Tun Tan Siew Sin’s contributions during his tenure as the Finance Minister of Malaysia. The centre will also expand its role to research on past Malaysian leaders, nation building and contemporary socio-political issues. It will benefit the greatest number and widest variety of people and contribute to the development of our communities and nation.”

Prof Chuah also announced that the centre currently has 80 members from various faculties in the university, and all interested academics are welcome to submit their proposals to conduct research for the centre. “We also welcome researchers from all fields to be part of the centre’s exciting initiatives and we look forward to possible collaborative efforts with our partners including MCA. All the research outcomes and knowledge will be disseminated to the general public, with hopes that they will inspire the younger generation to take up leadership roles and encourage them to contribute in nation building,” said the president.

Datin Paduka Tan citing the legacy of Tun Tan

Datin Paduka Tan enthused, “My sisters, Siok Eng and Siok Lee, and I would like to thank Dato’ Sri Liow, Tun Ling and UTAR for deciding to name this centre after our grandfather, the late Tun Tan Cheng Lock. It is an honour that Tun Tan would have appreciated tremendously.” Citing the background of Tun Tan’s legacy, she said, “While much has been written about Tun Tan’s involvement in politics, little is known about his entrepreneurial forays, first in rubber planting and later banking.”

She explained, “Due to the lack of financial resources to study law at a university, Tun Tan highly valued a university education, reflected in the fact that he sent his children to the US and UK for their tertiary education. Conversely, my grandfather was a staunch follower of Confucius. One of the most important rituals that he observed strictly was the ancestral remembrance ceremony; a rite that he instilled in his son Tun Tan Siew Sin whom in turn impressed on my sisters and I to continue the traditional Confucian ritual. Above all, Tun Tan ingrained in his children a key Confucian ethic — the worst transgression a son or daughter could commit is to bring dishonour to the family.”

Dato’ Sri Liow emphasising the importance of unity in Malaysia

Also speaking at the launch was Dato’ Sri Liow who said, “Tun Tan was the founder and the first president of MCA and we are proud to have this centre set up in honour of Tun Tan and his immense contributions to our country. He was a prominent public figure who was committed to championing the rights and social welfare of the Chinese community in Malaya. Most importantly, he was devoted to building a multiracial system of governance in order to raise the harmoniousness of race relations in Malaya. It is undeniable that he was one of those leaders who believed that moderation was the only way for Malaya to move forward.”

The guest of honour further said, “In recognition of Tun Tan’s immense efforts and to continue his incredible legacy, MCA is proud to donate RM1million to the TCLC at UTAR. The donation will fund various activities and research in areas such as the thoughts and ideas of Tun Tan and our founding fathers, the history and contributions of Malaysian Chinese, nation building, ethnic relations, social policies and much more.”

He also advised, “I hope that our youths will be inspired by the deeds of Tun Tan and be motivated to emulate this patriotic spirit of togetherness among us all, especially in a multiethnic country like Malaysia. By understanding the past, we can plan and act in the present in anticipation of future challenges and growth. If we want to know how and why our society is the way it is today, we have to look into our history for answers and that is why we need to properly document our past and seek solutions for the future. It is with great hope that the TCLC will inspire the younger generation to contribute to building a better Malaysia through Tun Tan’s vision — uniting our multiethnic society to build a greater nation.”

The TCLC’s vision is to be a centre of excellence that spearheads research for the betterment of Malaysia as a nation. Visit the TCLC’s official website for more details:http://research.utar.edu.my/TCLC/index.html .

The guests admiring the exhibition on Tun Tan