UTAR Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Social and Policy Studies (TCLC) hosted a book launching ceremony and public lecture at Sungai Long Campus on 12 April 2022. The event was also conducted via online platforms. 

The book titled “Ethnic Relations: Emotion is the Key” was authored by Emeritus Prof Dato’ Dr Tan Chong Tin. The book has highlighted the importance of emotions as an essential element in building harmonious ethnic relations. 

Attending this momentous occasion were UTAR Chancellor Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and his spouse Toh Puan Ena Ling, Prof Dato’ Tan and his spouse Datin Irene Yek Siew Hong, UTAR Council Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Ting Chew Peh, Unity Advisor to the Ministry of National Unity-cum-Founding Director of UKM Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA) Distinguished Prof Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, UTAR Council and Board of Trustees member Datuk Lee Leck Cheng, Council member Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Chor Chee Heung, Datuk Lim Si Cheng, UTAR International Advisory Council Academician Emeritus Prof Tan Sri Datuk Dr Augustine Ong and UTAR President Ir Prof Dr Ewe Hong Tat.

Giving a speech at the event, Prof Ewe first congratulated Prof Dato’ Tan on his new book. He said, “This book is truly a book of its time and it is very relevant in our current socio-economic state of transition from the pandemic, in an effort toward normalisation which will take some time for the people and the nation to heal and recover. This book is an interesting read, and I hope our staff and students will pick up this book as thoughtful reading for a better understanding towards building better ethnic relations as we heal and gather back our lives after the pandemic.”

Prof Datuk Shamsul Amri was also invited to deliver a speech at the ceremony. In his remarks, he said, “I really enjoyed reading the book. I must claim this is the first-ever book in Malaysia looking at the relationship from a psychological perspective.” He mentioned that his background allows him to see the administration in a bottom-up form, but not a top-down form. “In that sense, I was able to put together a team of multi-ethnic writers to allow us to dwell on the subject sociologically. Although we have psychologists, they didn’t go as deep as the expert view presented today. Perhaps after this, with the guide of Prof Dato’ Tan’s two books, we will begin to see and have an input in our discussion on the ethnic relations in Malaysia because I think this discussion is very crucial for us to take note of and to realise that we have to look at ourselves as much as others,” he said.

Moreover, the event featured a book review session by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Institute of Ethnic Studies Associate Senior Fellow Assoc Prof Dr Chang Peng Kee and a public lecture by Prof Dato’ Tan. 

During the public lecture, Prof Dato’ Tan shared his ideas with different segments of society and highlighted the importance of emotional needs. He explained how the mind works and behaves in relation to achieving ethnic harmony. He mentioned that the key to ethnic harmony is not to prohibit the expression of the identity of the minorities but to mutually appreciate and respect the needs of the identities of others. “Identity is multi-dimensional. Our task is to strengthen the common Malaysian identity to ensure that it has an inclusive ‘We’, ” he said. 

Prof Dato’ Tan is a clinical neurologist and Emeritus Professor of Neurology at the University of Malaya (UM). He has helped to train many neurologists, and founded and established many neurology institutions in the region, including the Malaysian Society of Neurosciences and the ASEAN Neurological Association. His most well-known research is on the Nipah virus encephalitis. As the leader of the Nipah Viral Encephalitis Investigation Team from UM, they discovered the novel virus and characterised the previously unknown encephalitis. Subsequently, the team was awarded the inaugural Merdeka award in 2008. 

Prof Dato’ Tan has also contributed widely outside his profession; he has authored many books, most recently “Values to Bind and Build: A Reflection” on ethnic harmony. The book launch ceremony of “Values to Bind and Build: A Reflection” was held on 25 January 2018 at UTAR Sungai Long Campus. Prof Dato’ Tan is currently a member of the UTAR Education Foundation Board of Trustees.