KUALA LUMPUR: The passing of former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik is a profound loss not just to the party, but to the nation he served with quiet strength for decades, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
Leading party members in bidding a final farewell to the veteran politician on Wednesday (April 8), the MCA president described Dr Ling as a great leader, a guide, and a mentor whose influence shaped many within the party.
"There are moments when words feel especially inadequate, and today is one of them.
"Standing with my MCA comrades in quiet farewell to Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, I am reminded not just of a great leader we have lost, but a steady presence whose influence shaped so many of us in ways we may never fully express," Dr Wee said in a Facebook post today.
At 9am, Dr Wee, alongside MCA leaders and members from across the country, gathered at the Xiao En Centre to pay their final respects.
They were also joined by long-time comrades from Barisan Nasional component parties, he added.
According to Dr Wee, this turnout was a reflection of the deep respect Dr Ling commanded across communities and throughout the coalition he once helped strengthen.
Remembering his predecessor's leadership style, Dr Wee said Dr Ling led with clarity and conviction, yet always maintained his humility.
"Beyond the titles and achievements, it was his wisdom, his discipline, and his deep care for people that left the strongest impression on those who had the privilege to know and learn from him," he said.
Following the funeral service, Dr Wee and the attendees accompanied Dr Ling’s family to the memorial park for the cremation.
"Though a great life has returned to the earth, the legacy he leaves behind will endure far beyond this farewell in the institutions he helped build, the values he upheld, and the many lives he touched," he said.
Extending his deepest condolences to the bereaved family on behalf of the party, Dr Wee hoped they would find solace in knowing how deeply respected and dearly remembered the late elder statesman is.
"Thank you, Tun, for everything. May you rest in peace," he added.
Dr Ling passed away peacefully on Saturday (April 4) at the age of 82. He served as MCA president from 1986 to 2003 and was Malaysia's transport minister during the same period.
He leaves behind his wife, Toh Puan Ong Ee Nah, two sons, Hee Keat and Hee Leong, three grandsons, two granddaughters and one granddaughter-in-law.
