KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah has paid his last respects to the late Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik.
His Royal Highness and the Raja Permaisuri of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim, arrived at about 8.45pm Sik at the Xiao En Centre in Cheras on Tuesday (April 7) and were received by Ling's second son, Ling Hee Keat, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and former MCA president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting.
The royal couple laid flowers before Dr Ling's memorial and later offered their condolences to Toh Puan Ong Ee Nah and Ling Hee Keat.
His Royal Highness also stopped to read a display of obituaries and newspaper clippings documenting former MCA president's life and achievements.
Throughout the day, many political leaders, business groups, education representatives, students and community leaders turned up to pay their last respects to Dr Ling, who was widely credited with contributing to the country's political stability and economic development.
Among those present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh, Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Steven Sim, Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing, Federation of Hokkien Associations of Malaysia president Tan Sri Lim Hock San, Berjaya Group founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan and AirAsia Group co-founder Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.
Dr Ling, MCA's sixth president, served as transport minister from 1986 to 2003. He passed away last Saturday (April 4) at the age of 82.
His wake was held at the Xiao En Centre in Cheras from Monday to Tuesday, with the public allowed to pay their respects from noon to 9pm.
The funeral will be held on Wednesday (April 8) at 10am, after which the cortege will proceed to the Xiao En Memorial Park in Nilai for the cremation ceremony.
