PETALING JAYA: Armed with a spatula, a wok and a shared vision for education, the late Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and his deputy Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek once travelled across the country, serving up char kuey teow to raise RM30mil for Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) College.
Looking back at their decades-long partnership, Lim recalled the former MCA president’s dedication, highlighting the massive fundraising campaign they spearheaded in the 1990s.
At the time, TAR College required an estimated RM60mil to build new facilities, including a library, swimming pool and main hall.
“Dr Ling said we needed to get the federal government to provide RM30mil on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis. We had to raise RM30mil first,” Lim said in an interview.
After Lim successfully brought the proposal to Cabinet, the duo hit the ground running.
“Dr Ling took up the wok, and we travelled all over the country. We visited hawkers and just fried kuey teow. There was even one donor who gave us RM100,000 just from seeing us fry,” he said.
“I followed him everywhere alongside other party leaders. He sacrificed so much, and we must not forget that.”
Beyond his fundraising efforts, Lim said Dr Ling was a man of deep patience who remained unfazed by political detractors.
“He has done so much, and although the opposition criticised what the MCA did under his leadership, he took it very calmly. He ignored them and continued to do what was right for the country,” he said.
Lim, who served as human resources minister from 1990 to 1999, also recalled Dr Ling’s meticulous leadership style and unwavering commitment to safeguarding the community’s interests.
Cabinet papers were typically distributed to ministers on Fridays ahead of weekly Wednesday meetings. Dr Ling would study them closely over the weekend.
“If Dr Ling found any matters affecting the Chinese community, he would immediately call the four MCA ministers – including myself and Tan Sri Lee Kim Sai – to his house at night,” Lim said.
“We would sit down and discuss our strategy on how to bring the matter up in Cabinet. He would call us without fail every time there was an issue. That was how dedicated he was.
“MCA has just lost a leader who will be very hard to replace.”
Lim also credited Dr Ling as the driving force behind the formation of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR).
“Without Dr Ling, there is no UTAR. He was the one behind it; he created UTAR. This is his legacy, and we must not forget it,” he said.
The same foresight in education left a deep impact on countless Malaysians, including former MCA deputy president Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy.
Chan, a TAR College student from 1974 to 1975 and current chairman of the TAR University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) board of governors, said he was a direct beneficiary of Dr Ling’s vision.
“Without Dr Ling’s foresight, we wouldn’t have what we have today. TAR UMT and UTAR have produced more than 400,000 graduates who play important roles in nation-building.”
Chan, who served as MCA Youth chief for nine years under Dr Ling, described him as a mentor who abhorred a “one-man show”.
“He advised me that as a political leader, you must practise collective leadership, scout for new talent and train the next generation. He was a decisive, disciplined leader who trained us to look at research, figures, facts and historical background before assessing the impact of any issue,” Chan said.
Dr Ling’s legacy also shaped Malaysia’s modern transport infrastructure. When Chan succeeded him as transport minister, he received clear instructions from then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to continue key projects started by Dr Ling.
“Dr Mahathir specifically mentioned the expansion of Westports and the Port of Tanjung Pelepas. He also highlighted the double-tracking railway project from Padang Besar to Johor Baru, which I had the privilege to continue.
“I also remember him talking about AirAsia, which had just been taken over by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes. Dr Mahathir said this was a very important milestone in introducing budget air travel – that Dr Ling started it, and I had to work hard to ensure its success,” Chan recalled.
“The legacy in transport is something all transport ministers after him will feel.”
Mourning the loss of their mentor, both Lim and Chan expressed deep sorrow.
“With his passing, we have lost a great son of the party, the community and the country,” Chan said.
Lim urged Dr Ling’s family to remain strong.
“We must celebrate his life. He will always be remembered in our hearts. We must not forget the sacrifices he made, because being party president is not easy,” said Lim.
Dr Ling served as transport minister from 1986 to 2003 and as MCA president for 17 years. He passed away at the age of 82 on Saturday.
