Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre Lecture Series

Second from left: Tun Tan Cheng Lock’s granddaughters Madam Tan Siok Eng, Datin Paduka Tan and Madam Tan Siok Lee presenting a mock cheque to Prof Chuah 

UTAR Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Social and Policy Studies (TCLC) hosted the first TCLC Lecture Series on 4 January 2018 at the UTAR Sungai Long Campus.

It was the inaugural lecture of the TCLC Lecture Series in honour of Tun Tan Cheng Lock, the founder of MCA, to commemorate his contributions to the nation. The Tun Tan Cheng Lock Lecture Series aimed to provide an avenue for scholars, educators and researchers to meet and discuss diverse issues and challenges faced by the society as well as to share their perspectives in their respective fields of interest.

In conjunction with the inaugural lecture series, Tun Tan Cheng Lock’s family donated RM3million to TCLC in support of the centre’s further research as well as for the publication of two books related to Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Tun Tan Siew Sin. Datin Paduka Tan announced, “I am pleased that on behalf of her deceased sister Alice, my Aunt Agnes Tan has agreed to give a significant donation to the Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre. This donation, together with a sum from my grandfather and father will further Malaysians’ understanding of these two statesmen. The TCLC will research and publish biographies of my grandfather Tun Tan Cheng Lock and my father Tun Tan Siew Sin. A biography, particularly on Tun Tan Siew Sin is timely because little has been written about my father.”

From left: Prof Chuah, Datin Paduka Tan, Madam Siok Eng, Madam Siok Lee and Dr Heng launching the Tun Tan Cheng Lock Series

UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik thanked Tun Tan’s family for their generous donation to the centre. He said, “Through this centre, UTAR hopes to promote the idea of moderation, a realistic value that is increasingly important not just in our country but also globally. The centre has more than 100 members from various faculties and external individuals associated with the centre. Since the launch in February 2017, the centre has organised talks, a seminar and a symposium. Besides, it also emphasises on publications including journal articles, conference proceedings and books. We hope that the collaborations, researches and publications will be more focused and impactful so that more people will understand the history of our nation through the contributions of Tun Tan Cheng Lock and the community.”

The inaugural lecture saw two speakers. The first speaker was the granddaughter of Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Datin Paduka Tan Siok Choo who talked about her father, Tun Tan Siew Sin. ” In her lecture, Datin Paduka Tan shared 10 facts about her father, through the lecture titled “Little Known Facts of Tun Tan Siew Sin”:

1. The first school Tun Tan Siew Sin attended was a girl’s school in Malacca.
2. Tun Tan Siew Sin lived for 53 years with only one lung until he passed away on 17 March 1988.
3. Tun Tan Siew Sin was a college drop-out.
4. Being a true Peranakan, Tun Tan Siew Sin could not eat without chillies.
5. Tun Tan Siew Sin never carried any cash, preferring to use his wife (Toh Puan Lim Cheng Neo) as his walking ATM.
6. During Tun Tan Siew Sin’s tenure at the Finance Ministry, it was staffed by economics graduates from  Top UK universities.
7. Tun Tan Siew Sin believed in a strong Ringgit.
8. Tun Tan Siew Sin pushed for the establishment of MISC.
9. Tun Tan Siew Sin was a strong advocate for R&D in the plantation industry.
10. When Tun Tan Siew Sin won the Tun Razak award in 1979, he donated the RM30,000 cash awarded to initiate and fund the establishment of the Women’s Aid Organisation, the first shelter for battered women in this country.

The second speaker was ASEAN Studies Initiative Director at the American University’s School of International Service Dr Heng Pek Koon who presented a lecture on “Tun Tan Cheng Lock: Visionary Founder of the Malaysian Chinese Association and the Malaysian Nation State”. Dr Heng talked about Tun Tan Cheng Lock’s visionary goals on several aspects including democracy, self-governing multiracial Malayan nation state, the political and economic status of Malayans, and the formation of MCA. Emphasising Tun Tan Cheng Lock’s legacy in the present era, she said, “While Tun Tan Cheng Lock will always be recognised for his historical role in founding the MCA, he also envisioned an integrated multiracial Malaysian political system with equal rights for all Malaysians.”

Present at the opening of the lecture series were Tun Tan Cheng Lock’s family members, UTAR Council Member Ir Academician Datuk Hong Lee Pee, TCLC Chairperson Assoc Prof Dr Chin Yee Mun, guests from the Centre for Malaysian Chinese Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and the Association of Malaysian Economics Undergraduates.

TCLC was launched on 28 February 2017 as a tribute to Tun Tan Cheng Lock for his immense contribution to the nation and the Chinese community in Malaysia.

Datin Paduka Tan sharing 10 little-known facts about her father, Tun Tan Siew Sin

Dr Heng highlighting Tun Tan Cheng Lock’s visionary goals

The inaugural TCLC Lecture Series saw some 150 scholars and participants in attendance