Memories of Tunku

TO younger Malaysians, the country’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, may just be a name or an iconic figure of the distant past. But to those who lived through the birthing pains of Independence and the formation of Malaysia, he is much more, because none of it would have been possible without Tunku.

Still a much loved figure nearly three decades after his death, Tunku made an impression on the young Uma Sambanthan. She remembers Tunku as a leader who took his responsibilities seriously, and a charismatic figure blessed with humour and generosity as well as a lesser known spiritual streak.