Category: People

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik: Part 12

Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik (Sept 18, 1943 – April 4, 2026) 

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik as told to journalist Foong Pek Yee shortly after his retirement from active politics in 2003.

Dr Ling was the fourth generation of the Ling family, with a history dated back to Sitiawan, Perak in then Malaya in 1903A.

A medical doctor by training, he went on to become the longest serving Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president and  the longest serving Transport Minister (1986-2003) in Malaysian history.

By Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com

1903 – Great grandfather Ling Kwong Mi and grandfather Ling TI Kong arrived in Sitiawan, Perak, Malaya . They were among the pioneer batch of 363 Foochows from China recruited to do rice cultivation in Sitiawan.  Dr Ling’s great grand uncle Ling  Ching  Mi and Dr HLE Luering, both missionaries, were tasked by the colonial government to undertake the recruitment drive dubbed “population transplant” to produce rice to feed labourers from China who arrived in droves to work in the tin mines in Kinta Valley, Perak.

1943 -Ling Liong Sik born to parents Ling Tung Jung and Tan Jin Choo on Sept 18, 1943.  His father died three months after his birth.

1948 – Started kindergarten classes at Lady Teacher’s School in Taiping.

1949- Enrolled for primary one at King Edward VII School in Taiping.

1958-Enterd Royal Military College in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan.

1961 – Entered University of Malaya in Singapore to do medicine.

1966_ Graduated as a doctor in University of Singapore (University of Malaya in Singapore renamed University of Singapore in Singapore).

1967- Started housemanship in Penang General Hospital.

1967- Met the love of his life -Ong Ee Nah –  a nurse in Penang General Hospital.

1968- Married Ong Ee Nah on Jan 22. She later became Toh Puan Ena Ling.

1969- Became proud parents for the first time. Their son, Ling Hee Leong was born on May 12 on the eve of the  May 13 racial riots.  He had to get a special permit to bring his wife and baby home.

1969 – Set up private clinic in Butterworth.

1971 – Joined Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA).

1971- Appointed as a  member of the MCA central committee – the party’s highest decision making body.

1972 – Became proud parents for the second time with the birth of their son Ling Hee Keat.

1974 – Contested and won the Mata Kuching parliamentary seat.

1976 Appointed Parliamentary secretary to the Local Government and Federal Territory Ministry.

1976- Became full time politician. Together with family, moved to Kuala Lumpur.  Sold his private clinic to his close friend and University mate Dr Sak Cheng Lum.

1978 – Lost his beloved mother to cancer.

1978 – Retained his Mata Kuching parliamentary seat in the general election. His mother’s funeral was held three days before polling day.

1982- Retained his Mata Kuching parliamentary seat.

1983- Appointed deputy information Minister and then deputy finance minister.

1984 – At the height of an MCA crisis and among the 14 MCA central committee members who got sacked in September. Stepped down as deputy finance minister.

1985 – Contested and won the MCA deputy president post.

1986- Appointed transport minister.

1986- Contested and won the Labis parliamentary seat.

1986 – Elevated to become MCA president on Sept 3 following the resignation of party president Tan Koon Swan.  The MCA constitution states that the deputy president will be automatically made president in the event of a vacancy.

1987- Secured a ringgit-to-ringgit refund for 500,000 depositors under KSM (Koperasi Serbaguna Malaysia that was started by MCA leaders.

1987- Tan Koon Swan resigned his Gopeng Member of Parliament post and paved the way for a by election.  MCA fielded Dr Ting Chew Peh in the by election. Dr Ting, an associate professor with Universiti Malaysia won the seat.

1987- Mass protests by the Chinese community over the government’s directive to have non Chinese educated teachers to hold senior positions in Chinese schools. Several MCA leaders were among some 100 people detained under ISA (Internal Security Act)  on Oct 27, code Operations Lallang 1987.

1988- Quit smoking on Dec 31, a habit picked up when he was 12 years old.

1989-  Economic recession. Managed to save Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur from being taken over by a bank.

1990 – Retained the Labis parliamentary seat.

1992- Received approval from the Government to expand MCA’s  Tunku Abdul Rahman College.

1993- Launched MCA’s Langkawi Project – a project to encourage parents in rural areas to help their children in their studies.

1995- Led MCA to achieve the biggest ever win in the general election,  winning 30 parliamentary seats and 70 state seats.

1997- Rallied the Chinese community nationwide to support MCA’s Love Malaysia, Buy Malaysia campaign to help the country weather the Asia financial crisis.

1999- An MCA crisis erupted. A unity plan between the two feuding factions was adopted.

1999- Retained the Labis parliamentary seat.

2001 – Government invited MCA to set up a private university which was named Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)

2001 – Became UTAR council chairman .

2002 – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad launched the ground breaking ceremony for UTAR’s main campus in Kampar, Perak.

2003 – Stepped down as MCA president and Transport Minister in May.

2003 – MCA membership stood at one million against 400,000 when he took over the party helm in 1986.

2004 – Did not defend the Labis parliamentary seat after four terms (1986 – 2004)

2017 – Became UTAR chancellor.

2026- Passed away peacefully in Kuala Lumpur on April 4.

 

 

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik: Part 10

World stage :  Chinese president Jiang Zemin (left ) and Dr Ling.

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik as told to journalist Foong Pek Yee shortly after his retirement from active politics in 2003.

Dr Ling was the fourth generation of the Ling family, with a history dated back to Sitiawan, Perak in then Malaya in 1903.

A medical doctor by training, he went on to become the longest serving Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president and the longest serving Transport Minister (1986-2003)  in Malaysian history.

By Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com

Sept 18, 2026

 

January 1958 and I left home for the first time.

I gained admission to the Federal Military College (renamed Royal Military College (RMC) in January 1958.

College life was fun; with many new friends, lots of games to play and academic work was never a problem.

Good foundation : A healthy and sporty Dr Ling during his RMC days.

There was no memory of any difficulties staying in a multi-ethnic environment.

Probably it was because I had studied in King Edward VII School, Taiping which was also a multi- ethnic school with Malays, Chinese and Indians mixing together, playing together and studying together.

Most of all, I believed what did me the most good  was the mix of educational and military curriculum.

Destined to lead: Dr Ling is a champion in debates during his RMC days.

Till today, my time management is excellent.

I am still always on time. I still plan my whole day’s activities, full week’s activities and so on.

And the spirit and encouragement to excel was pervasive throughout the college and the results were testimony.

“We learned from our peers, appreciated good leadership qualities of our prefects, sportsmen, scholars, our house masters, teachers etc.”

All these attributes I picked up became even more evident by the time I was sent to the Outward Bound School, about 18 months after I first joined college.

A heart for the people: A medical  doctor by training, Dr Ling travelled far and wide to meet the people in his quest to bring development to them.

 Remember a patriot :  Dr Ling went on to become an outstanding politician and Cabinet Minister. He and MCA members during one of his visits to Malaysia’s  retired first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman (seated).

I emerged with an Honours award ( Course No. 45, 1959).

Upon my return from Outward Bound School,  I was made a senior boy (prefect).

One other thing that I appreciated very deeply during college days was the school motto “Serve to Lead”.

It was ingrained into my mind that you have to serve before you deserve leadership.

Leadership by example: Dr Ling was very active on the ground, leading MCA grassroots leaders to mingle with the community and find ways to improve their livelihood.

The harder you work, the more deserving you are of a chance to lead.

“If you are not a good follower and a good server, it is very unlikely that you will ever be a good leader.”

My memories of university life in Singapore was a repeat of my active life at college.

It was fun , it was active, it was serious when you needed to be serious, and I made it to become University Singapore Students Union (USSU) president and graduated as a doctor.

When you are active and adventurous, you will face many challenges.

You learn from your challenges.

At very difficult point, there are various options.

“You can move forward, you can move laterally, but always remember that retreat is also an option.”

Life after university as a doctor, as a politician was also a carry over of my life in college and in university; active, curious,  willing to try, willing to serve and never relishing a dull moment.

Throughout my adult life,  the  word  – crisis – had a tremendous impact on the way I conducted myself.

It was the understanding of the word “crisis” in Mandarin ” wei ji”

The word  “wei” is the short form for danger or “wei sian”.

And “ji” is the short form for opportunity or “ji hui”.

As such, a crisis, when handled properly, skillfully, carefully can result in an opportunity.

The outcome can be otherwise if a crisis is mishandled or handled carelessly, shoddily , irresponsibly or hastily.

My advice to a lot of my colleagues in my adult life is, in the face of a crisis, always:

* Keep calm

  • Keep cool
  • Be humble
  • Be willing to consult those who are more experienced, those who are more knowledgeable and those who have gone through the same or similar crisis before.

If you can follow all these steps diligently,  the chances are you will overcome the crisis, and most of all, present you with a new opportunity.

Photos: Credit to a publication titled A Tribute to…Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik from his colleagues and friends in the Alumni Association of the King Edward VII College of Medicine and the Faculties of Medicine in the University of Malaya and the University of Singapore.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication titled The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the journalist Foong Pek Yee.

 

 

 

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik : Part 9

 

We made it:  On July 8, 2001, Dr Ling (centre) announced the government’s approval for MCA to set up a university.  The approval dated July 5, 2001 and the university was named Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) . Flanking Dr Ling were then MCA secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh (right) and then deputy education Minister Datuk Hon Choon Kim (left).

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik as told to journalist Foong Pek Yee shortly after his retirement from active politics in 2003.

Dr Ling was the fourth generation of the Ling family, with a history dated back to Sitiawan, Perak in then Malaya in 1903.

A medical doctor by training, he went on to become the longest serving Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president and the longest serving Transport Minister (1986-2003) in Malaysian history,

By Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com

The  Chinese community’ s demand for university education surged drastically since the 1960s.

Their dream then was to set up their own university called Merdeka University to meet the demand.

In 1969, MCA under then president Tun Tan Siew Sin, stepped in and set up Tunku Abdul Rahman College also known as TAR College to provide the much needed quality and affordable education opportunities.

The Chinese community under the MCA leadership rallied behind TAR College.

TAR College’s first intake was 764 students in 1969, and it operated from rented premises for about seven years before having its main campus in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur in 1976.

While TAR College went on producing graduates by the thousands and   became a household name, the Merdeka University dream  took a backseat.

The MCA  got an approval from the government on July 5, 2001  to set up a university, named Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

It is against this historical backdrop for  MCA to hail UTAR  as a  dream come true for the party after more than three decades.

People from all walks of life rallied behind UTAR.

The university quickly became a household name, producing graduates by the thousands.

“I must put on record that UTAR and TAR College are by the people for the people.”

New pathway: UTAR opened doors to its pioneer batch of 411 students in their temporary campus in Petaling Jaya , Selangor on June 10, 2002.

Endorsement: Accompanied by Dr Ling, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad signed a plaque at the official ground breaking ceremony for UTAR main campus in Kampar, Perak on Jan 12, 2003.

Generous Malaysians from all walks of life; from big corporate figures to petty traders, hawkers and taxi drivers had come out in full force to support the two institutions.

“God has given you sufficient education and training.  Whatever situation, you will have to draw on the gift. Success or failure is God’s decision.”

You have to face the problems and find solutions.

There is no need to worry too much  about the outcome.

“I think half the fun of life is gone if you do not face any problem as life can be dull in the absence of challenges.

“In fact, many good things appeared first in the form of problems.”

The setting up of the first TAR College branch campus in Penang is a good example.

“We decided to expand the college after having to reject 8,000 out of the 12,000 applications to enter the  college.”

TAR College main campus in  Setapak , Kuala Lumpur underwent expansion via the setting up of  branch campus in Penang, Perak, Johor,  Pahang and Sabah.

In the 1990s, MCA detected  many zero passes among  Chinese primary schools in the UPSR (Ujian Peperiksaan Sekolah Rendah) because the children failed Bahasa Malaysia.

In 1993, MCA launched Langkawi Project, a move to encourage parents in the rural areas to help their children in their studies.

With the theme “An hour a day you sure make it” we aimed to encourage parents to set aside at least an hour a day to help their children.

“I knew we must do something at this point so that the children could continue with their studies in secondary school and  beyond”.

There must be smooth progression to keep their interest in studies.

I think we  had raise enough awareness among rural children and parents on the importance of education.

“Our encouragement came in many forms;  like setting up resource centres/mini libraries and presenting the children with gifts like school bags, dictionaries and stationery”.

We also collected used computers, repaired them and gave them to the schools to let the children learn how to use computer.

In the 1995 general election, MCA had the best performance ever,  winning 30 parliamentary seats and 70 state seats – an endorsement for the party.

In 1996, MCA managed to get the government to repeal the Education Act 1961, 21 (2) that empowers the Education Minister to close down Chinese schools (vernacular schools)  or convert them to national schools.

My belief is : “Every problem has a solution in disguise”.

Photos: Credit to a publication titled A tribute to …Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik from his colleagues and friends in the Alumni Association of the King Edward VII College of Medicine and the Faculties of Medicine of the University of Malaya and the University of Singapore.

All rights reserved.  No part of this publication titled The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form  or by any means without prior permission from the journalist Foong Pek Yee.

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik: Part 8

Navigating politics:  Then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (center), at the opening of  an MCA  annual general assembly  in Kuala Lumpur. Flanking him were ex MCA president Tan Sri Lee San Choon(left)  and  then MCA president Dr Ling.

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik as told to journalist Foong Pek Yee shortly after his retirement from active politics in 2003.

Dr Ling was the fourth generation of the Ling family, with a history dated back to Sitiawan, Perak in then Malaya in 1903.

A medical doctor by training, he went on to become the longest serving Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president and the longest serving Transport Minister (1986-2003) in Malaysian history.

By  Foong Pek Yee

Foongpekyee@gmail.com

Sept 18, 2026

It was  autumn at Central London’s Hyde Park.

I had taken six weeks of no pay leave to do some reflections on what to do next.

That was in 1987 – a year filled with unparalleled challenges.

“Some 100 people including several MCA leaders got detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

“The swoop on Oct 27, 1987 was dubbed Operations Lallang 1987.”

There was widespread anger among the Chinese community in response to a government directive to send non Chinese educated teachers to hold senior positions in Chinese schools.

“The move was set to change the character of the Chinese schools.

“The tension escalated to protests in Chinese schools .

“As the MCA president and a Cabinet Minister, my six weeks of no pay leave was also to register my protest and stand by the Chinese community while working  for a solution to the contentious issue.”

On my way home from London, I transit in Hong Kong to meet up with Robert Kuok- a very wise man and fatherly figure.

He had very good advice for me, saying, “Life is about going upstream, against the current, and you cannot stop or else you will go backwards. You are really going upstream.”

I learned the importance of patience and endurance in politics the hard way.

“The Chinese School issue was resolved and the MCA leaders detained under the Operations Lallang were released shortly before Christmas that year.”

I was put to test again and again in politics.

Earlier I was among the 14 MCA central committee members who got sacked in 1984 at the height of a party crisis.

I resigned as deputy finance minister after the sacking.

The then MCA acting president Neo Yee Pan rescinded the sacking in January 1985 and I was appointed the deputy education Minister two months later.

“I won the MCA deputy president’s post in the party elections in 1985 and got  appointed as  the  Transport Minister the next year.”

The then MCA president Tan Koon Swan who was involved with Singapore’s  Pan Electric Industries (Pan – El) scandal stepped down as party president in Sept 1986.

” As the  MCA deputy  president, I was automatically elevated to the MCA president’s post on Sept 3, 1986 as provided for under the party’s constitution.”

But there was no time to rejoice.

The country was in an economic recession then,  and MCA in 1989 was at brink of losing Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur to a bank.

“We had a life membership recruitment drive to help save our building which also  houses our party headquarters.”

Together with other measures we managed to save Wisma MCA.

In 1987, we also secured a ringgit-to-ringgit refund to some 500,000 depositors of the 24 cooperative societies under Koperasi Serbaguna Malaysia or KSM run by MCA leaders.

“We are grateful to every body  who stood by MCA during such trying times and helped us to recover.”

I love to tell people the stories of MCA’s 3Rs – Rescue, Repair and Rebuilt – between 1986 and 1990.

Photos: Credit to a publication titled A Tribute to…Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik from his colleagues and friends in the Alumni Association of the King Edward VII College of Medicine and the Faculties of Medicine of the University of Malaya and University of Singapore.

All rights reserved. No part of this  publication titled The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the journalist Foong Pek Yee.

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik : Part 7.

Turning point:  Hee Leong (right) and Hee Keat looking at their father’s general election poster in 1974.

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik as told to journalist Foong Pek Yee shortly after his retirement from active politics in 2003.

Dr Ling was the fourth generation of the Ling family, with a history dated back to Sitiawan, Perak in then Malaya in 1903.

A medical doctor by training, he went on to become the longest serving Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president and the longest serving Transport Minister (1986-2003) in Malaysian history.

By Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com

Sept 18, 2026.

My eldest son Hee Leong was born on May 12, 1969 – the eve of the May 13 racial riots, often referred to as 513.

“There was a curfew and I had to get a special permit to bring my wife and baby home.”

On the political front, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) which is a component party of the ruling coalition called the Alliance ( officially renamed to Barisan National in 1974)  lost all the seats it contested in Penang in the just concluded 1969 general elections.

MCA  splinter party called Gerakan , then an opposition party, made a clean sweep in the state.

Thus the MCA top leaders saw an urgent need to recruit members to strengthen the party.

The then Butterworth MCA division chairman Lim Ean Cheng persuaded me to join the party.

I joined MCA in 1971.

The division chairman appointed me as state secretary and introduced me to Lee San Choon when he visited  Penang.

“Lim Ean Cheng also recommended me to San Choon to make me a central committee member (the MCA central committee is the party’s highest decision making body).”

I remember taking a flight to Kuala Lumpur to meet then MCA president Tun Tan Siew Sin.

“Three years later I contested and won the Mata Kuching parliamentary seat in the 1974 general election, and retained the seat in the next two  general elections.”

In 1976,  I was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government and Federal Territory Ministry.

By then,  I was a father of two and having my own clinic.

My wife had quit her nursing job to help me in the clinic and take care of our children, Hee Leong and Hee Keat.

Comfortable life: Dr Ling’s clinic in Butterworth.

The clinic was on the ground floor and we stayed upstairs.

While the status quo was comfortable for our family, I decided to go full time politics in 1976.

It was not an easy decision.

“The clinic meant a lot to me.

“I bought it for RM50,000 including the building.

“Mother sold her bungalow and loaned me Rm15,000 and I took a bank loan to pay the balance.”

The clinic belonged to a Canadian doctor who studied in Sheffield, England.

He married a Malaysian Chinese girl and the couple decided to sell the clinic and leave Malaysia.

The clinic was the panel doctor for Penang Port Commission workers and Penang Labour Board workers and business was very good.

“The two contracts alone would give me a minimum of RM1,000 income a month, and this was really big money then.

“And the thousands of workers and their family members were also my voters.”

Dr Sak Cheng Lum, who is a close friend of mine and two years my Junior in University of Singapore took over the clinic.

The year 1978 was a difficult year for our family.

We lost our mother to cancer.

“While I retained the Mata Kuching parliamentary seat in the 1978 general election,  my mother’s funeral was three days before polling day.”

Despite battling the disease for more than a year,  she managed to make  preparations for her funeral.

“Strong, honest and meticulous, mother was a very good Christian and had lived a simple and good life.”

Photos: Credit to  a publication titled A Tribute to…Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik from his colleagues and friends in the Alumni Association of the King  Edward VII College of Medicine and the Faculties of Medicine of the University of Malaya and University of Singapore.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication titled The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the journalist Foong Pek Yee.

 

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik : Part 6.

 

A day to remember: The wedding of Dr Ling and Ena Ling in 1968.

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik as told to journalist Foong Pek Yee shortly after his retirement from active politics in 2003.

Dr Ling was the fourth generation of the Ling family, with a history dated back to Sitiawan, Perak in then Malaya in 1903.

A medical doctor by training, he went on to become the longest serving Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president and the longest serving Transport Minister (1986- 2003) in Malaysian history.

By Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com

Sept 18, 2026.

The Penang General Hospital’s ward 10 holds a special meaning for me.

That was in 1967.

” I went to take a look at the place about 9.00pm because the next day would be my first day of work as a houseman there.

“Suddenly I heard a voice telling me that visiting hours was over.

“While I could not remember my reaction, the young nurse who reprimanded me somehow came across as somebody special.

“This is the chemistry of love.

“The nurse Ong Ee Nah is now my wife Toh Puan Ena Ling.

“We registered our marriage on Jan 22, 1968.”

We got to meet very often working in the same hospital and we liked to go dating at the Tip Top Coffeehouse near the hospital in Pulau Tikus, Penang.

“Love blossomed quickly.”

And 1967 was also the year of political enlightening for me.

It was in  November and just another evening for us where a few doctors and I were playing tennis.

We got an emergency call.

“We had to rush back to the hospital in tennis shoes and shorts to attend to hundreds of injured people.

“I saw mutated bodies, revealing internal organs.

” A  racial riot just took place- the  November 1967 Penang Hartal Riot– that left about 20 dead and some 130 injured.

“The riot started with a strike over the devaluation of the Malayan dollar against the British pound and the new Malaysian dollar before it culminated into a racial riot.

“I saw how racial confrontation can end up so tragically.”

The following year, I volunteered to be transferred to the Butterworth District Hospital.

Serving in a rural posting was the logical thing to do because I wanted to specialize and be a physician.

There were only two doctors in the hospital.

“I was a hard-working doctor and on call every other day,

“Our quarters were just next to the hospital and I would wake up to go to hospital any time.

“At times I worked up to 3.00 am.

“I must see my patients before prescribing them medicine.”

Photos: Credit to a publication titled A Tribute to…Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik from his colleagues and friends in the Alumni Association of King Edward VII College of Medicine  and the Faculties of Medicine of the University of Malaya and the University of Singapore.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication titled The Life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik may be reproduced , stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the journalist Foong Pek Yee.

 

 

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik : Part 5

 

A major milestone: Dr Ling with his mother during his graduation as a medical doctor in University of Singapore in Singapore early 1967.

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik as told to journalist Foong Pek Yee shortly after his retirement from active politics in 2003.

Dr Ling was the fourth generation of the Ling family, with a history dated back to Sitiawan , Perak in then Malaya in 1903.

A medical doctor by training, he went on to become the longest serving Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president and the longest serving Transport Minister (1986- 2003) in Malaysian history.

By Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com

Sept 18, 2026

It was mother’s wish for me to become a medical doctor.

But I was interested in forestry.

As a very outdoor person, I certainly love nature and this could be the reason for wanting to do forestry.

Infact the Royal Military College (RMC) had offered me a scholarship to do a course in naval and aircraft.

While I had a good time at RMC, I decided that three years of military experience was enough.

I decided to follow mother’s wish.

After all it was also a good thing as I would be doing a service in every sense.

That was in 1961 when I packed my bags and off to Singapore to do medicine in then University of Malaya in Singapore.  (The university changed its name to University of Singapore in Singapore in January 1962).

I entered straight into second year  medicine.

Looking back, I am glad that mother had guided me at this crucial point in life – choosing my career.

Having to mix with a big bunch of first and second year students who were mostly bright students from Malaysia and Singapore’s Raffles College did cause me a little anxiety at the beginning.

I was the second youngest among the 120 students in the class – a good mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian.

I was born on Sept 18, 1943 while the youngest student was born in January 1944,

The first term saw me studying very hard.

I stayed in Dunearn Road Hostel in Bukit Timah while the General Hospital was in Tiong Baru.

A few of us got together to hire a car to ferry us to and fro.

It was a Morris Minor used as a private taxi for medical students.

My first term results were quite good, and this had given me the confidence to continue working hard.

But it was certainly not all work and no play for me.

I was back to my active lifestyle, playing rugby, football and tennis.

When I returned for my second term by train, I took my Vespa scooter along.

I bought it for $900 using the salary from my part – time teaching at Clifford Secondary School in Taiping.

I taught for three months while waiting for my Higher School Certificate (HSC) results.

I taught Mathematics and got paid $370 a month.

Everything went on fine until my third term when I was injured and hospitalized for 21 days.

I was badly injured while playing rugby in an inter hostel match.

A player, A. Sundaraj,  lifted his knee against my neck, resulting in cerebral concussion.

I was rushed to the Singapore General Hospital in an ambulance.

I remember getting a lot of visitors.

I told them not to inform my mother.

But she somehow found out and came to see me in Singapore.

Guess when you are young, you do not fear much.

The pressure on my brain took time to recede after I recovered from the concussion.

My memory was also affected temporary, recalling formulas was slow.

I went to see the Medical Faculty Dean, Dr Thambi Pillay, and told him that I don’t think I can sit for the exam.

He said : “Don’t worry, just go and sit for the exam.”

I passed the exam.

And I was back to rugby not long after.

I passed my third year,  a crucial year for medical students.

It was our “first graduation” and they will not kick you out from university after you passed your third year.

After my third year, mother bought me a car, a Morris Minor, for $2,400.

With $200 monthly pocket money, I could go for supper, drinking, dating and pump petrol.

I also bought a fridge to put my beer.

As University of Singapore Students Union (USSU) with then Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew

It was in 1964 when I got elected as  USSU president.

Described as Singapore’s crucial years then, the Singapore government under Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew then was going all out to impose restrictions on student activities.

We saw this as infringement on academic freedom despite the government describing it as a form of “consultation”.

To us, the university is a pillar of idealism and our autonomy must be safeguarded.

The crisis had resulted in the vice chancellor having to leave after he stood firm that the state should not interfere.

The student union went to demonstrate outside Lee Kuan Yew’s office in City Hall.

About 10  of us were invited into Lee Kuan Yew’s office.

Lee Kuan Yew asked me : ” Ling Liong Sik, why are you creating so many problems in Singapore?”

I must admit that we as students were no match  to this very shrewd politician.

Together with Lee Kuan Yew, we issued a joint statement during the meeting, only to find out later that the statement was tantamount to going against our union’s mission.

We took responsibility for that – all resigned to pave the way for fresh elections.

They somehow voted me back to helm the union.

Different ideology was a divide between students.

There were more leftists or barisan socialists than democratic socialists who leaned towards the right wing.

“Many leftists went to jail in the run up to Singapore’s independence in August 1965,

” I was attending an international student conference in Christchurch, New Zealand when I received a telex on operations to arrest students in Nanyang University.

“I cut short my trip and returned to Singapore to handle the situation.”

In the morning of Aug 9, 1965, Lee Kuan Yew went on air to announce the official separation of Singapore from Malaysia, and he was in tears.

We watched the historical event in campus.

It was a night to remember after taking part in a play titled “The moon is less bright”.

Acting together with Dr Goh Poh Seng, a medical practitioner in Singapore who was famous in performing arts was indeed a privilege.

That was in 1965.

But I lost my judgement as I was driving back to my hostel and crashed my car on to a lamp post.

Shaken by the impact and with  a cut on my head, I somehow managed to crawl out of the car.

The Maxwell Police Station was just across the road!

After the accident, I bought a Volvo 121 for $4,200 with the money I earned from part time teaching during my term breaks in Taiping.

The car registration number was SP1324.

I took it back to Malaysia upon my graduation  and changed the registration to PF 6017.

I graduated early 1967.

I was held back for six months because I failed O&G (obstetrics and gynaecology) .

I must admit that my attendance for lectures was quite haphazard at times.

Later I found out that the professor in charge found out that I was absent most of the time.

“Overseas again Sonny Ling? How did you find O&G in New Zealand?” he asked as I confidently walked into the exam hall.

I was a very active person and always keen to learn and experience new things and make friends with people.

I met  Mr Lim, a Hainanese who worked in a hotel before he became the hostel warden.

He introduced me to horse racing and taught me how to make a cocktail in a bar.

As a small town boy, I had never seen horse racing before.

I lost $50 in the horse racing.

“It was very painful and that was my first and last gamble.”

Photo: Credit to a publication titled A Tribute to…Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik from his colleagues and friends in the Alumni Association of the King Edward VII College of Medicine and the Faculties of Medicine of the University of Malaya  and the University of Singapore.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication titled The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission from the journalist Foong Pek Yee.

 

 

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik : Part 3

Mother’s love:  Dr Ling with his mother Tan Jin Choo.

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik as told to journalist Foong Pek Yee shortly after his retirement from active politics in 2003.

Dr Ling was the fourth generation  of the Ling family, with a history dated back to Sitiawan, Perak in then Malaya in 1903

A medical doctor by training, he went on to become the longest serving Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president and the longest serving Transport Minister (1986-2003) in Malaysian history.

By Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com

Sept 18, 2026

I grew up surrounded by many teachers.

I went to Sunday School and joined the choir there.

It was in Sunday School where I first learned singing and drama – a skill that puts me in good stead later in life.

I must be a very talented and good boy because I always got chosen to perform in mini concerts.

And I looked forward to Sundays.

We gathered at my uncle’s house in town to have lunch after Sunday School.

There were many people there.

After lunch, my elder cousins would take me to the cinema to watch cowboy shows and Batman.

Two of us shared one ticket which cost 40 cents .

I contributed 20 cents to sit on his lap to watch the show together.

I started going to kindergarten at the age of five.

It was at Lady Treacher Girls School, a Methodist School , and there were boys and girls there.

My mother taught me how to read and write before I started kindergarten.

I loved listening to stories especially Bible stories, singing and performing in concerts in Sunday School.

I must say I was a confident and lovable child.

Signature smile: Dr Ling, who was a man of few words since young, left a lasting impression on people. 

Always happy together : A  13-year-old Dr Ling with his mother.

While mother was always there for me, I started to have a mind of my own as a teenager.

I started smoking at 12, and bought four cigarettes for 15 cents initially.

Later I found a brand selling at 20 sticks for 10 cents.

I went to smoke at the Lake Gardens,  less than a kilometer from our house located off Swettenham Road.

It was simply cool and fun climbing up the tree, smoke and watch the world go by and went swimming in the lake.

I was fond of and good at sports;  football, badminton, basketball and swimming.

My prized possession – my football, hockey stick, badminton racket and bicycle.

While mother encouraged her children to take up sports, I must admit that I was too engrossed in playing games.

I dropped to 13th placing in my class when I was in Form Three.

My usually calm mother was definitely furious.

In the fit of an anger, she hit the report card with a ruler and tore it.

And I was too embarrass to bring it back to school the next day.

I learned my lesson, the hard way.

Mother was a disciplinarian and a truthful and meticulous person.

Having grown up in an orphanage, she always strived to give the best to her children.

She and her younger brother were sent to an orphanage after their parents passed away.

At 14,  mother passed her Senior Cambridge.

She went to normal class and attended teacher training during weekends.

Mother was a very strict teacher.

She went on to become an inspector of school, headmistress  and lecturer at a day training for teachers.

Photo: Credit to a publication titled A Tribute to …Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik from his colleagues and friends in the Alumni Association of the King Edward VII College of Medicine and the faculties of Medicine of the University of Malaya and the University of Singapore.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication titled The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission from the journalist Foong Pek Yee.

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik: Part 2

 

Gifted child:  Dr Ling at the age of five.

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik as told to journalist Foong Pek Yee shortly after his retirement from active politics in 2003.

Dr Ling  was the fourth generation of the Ling family, with a history dated back to Sitiawan, Perak in then Malaya in 1903.

A medical doctor by training, he went on to become the longest serving Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president and the longest serving Transport Minister (1986-2003) in Malaysian history.

By Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com

Sept 18, 2026

I was about seven years old when my world suddenly went beyond Taiping.

It was not any ordinary morning, and I remember mother was on a reflective mood.

Uncle came and took me to Ipoh, about 70 km from Taiping.

It was quite a long journey by car, and I could still remember the breeze blowing in my face.

There were no air conditioning cars in that era.

We arrived at Chung Ah Ming Road in Ipoh where I discovered my family roots.

We were greeted by a kind looking and quite elderly lady whom I called Tuah  Ng  (in Hokkien) or Dai Ma (in Cantonese) in the predominantly Cantonese community in Ipoh.

Dai Ma’s name was U Leng Hing and she was my father’s first wife.

Dai Ma was much older than mother.

My father died when I was three months old.

Dai Ma and father had three children; Ling Siok Ting, Ling Liong Ching and Ling Liong Li.

My half siblings were already adults when we first met.

I called them brother and sister.

The Ling family doted on me, and we got along fine from the first meeting.

The Ling family wanted to spend more time with me.

Subsequently, each visit to Ipoh lasted between one and two weeks during the school holidays.

Dai Ma used to take me  to see movies at a cinema nearby called Star Theatre.

We walked out from our house and crossed the road (Jalan Pasir Puteh, Ipoh) to take a bus.

It was just a straight road down, curved a bit and we were right in front of the cinema.

Ipoh was a booming tin mining town,  a different place altogether, and as a small boy I enjoyed myself during the visits.

There were not many shops or entertainment in Taiping back then.

Dai Ma and my half siblings treated me very well and we were like a family.

I remember eating char siew pau (steamed roast pork dumplings in Cantonese)  and looked forward to my stay in Ipoh – a holiday retreat that I enjoyed very much!

Dai Ma and Siok Ting were teachers.

They bought me books and they made sure I read them.

They also made sure my reading is good.

Liong Ching who joined the army was a good tennis and golf player.

Sports run in our blood.

Liong Ching gave me my first golf set when I was a doctor in Butterworth.

That was in 1968.

Sadly Liong Ching passed away when he was only 40 plus.

Liong Li who was 10 years my senior was a police officer with the Special Branch.

Meanwhile,  I have another set of four half siblings from my mother’s second marriage to Loh Loong Kong, a war department clerk with the British army camp in Taiping.

My half siblings were Loh Lee Aik,  an SIA (Singapore International Airlines) pilot, Loh Lee Lian, a pianist-turned- accountant and Loh Lee Soon, an accountant.

My step dad also had a daughter Loh Yook Sim from his previous marriage.

Loong Kong was quite young when he married my mother, and he and I used to play hockey, football and badminton together.

The year I turned six was a year of discovery.

I started primary one at King Edward VII School in Taiping.

Set up in 1883, it was the first English School in the Malay states.

We, the students or King Edwardians, were also known as Tigers!

My mother also taught in the school.

By then, I could sense the privilege of being a teacher’s son.

The other kids would not bully me, and everybody would somehow be nice to you when they knew you are the teacher’s son.

I was a well -mannered kid and always the top pupil.

“Even at this young age, I could sense the expectation from others for me to continue to excel.”

Photos: Credit to a publication titled A Tribute to… Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik from his colleagues and friends in the Alumni Association of the King Edward VII College of Medicine and the faculties of Medicine of the University of Malaya and the University of Singapore.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication titled The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by  any means without prior permission from the journalist Foong Pek Yee.

 

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik: Part 4.

 

Young and brilliant :  Dr Ling  joined the Federation Military College in January 1958. The college was re-designated  as the Royal Military College (RMC) in 1966.

The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik as told to journalist Foong Pek Yee shortly after his retirement from active politics in 2003.

Dr Ling was the fourth generation of the Ling family, with a history dated back to Sitiawan, Perak in then Malaya in 1903.

A medical doctor by training, he went on to become the longest serving Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president and the longest serving Transport Minister (1986-2003) in Malaysian history.

By Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com

Sept 18, 2026

It was January 1958 when I joined the Federation Military College  which was re-designated as the  Royal Military College (RMC) in 1966.

I joined as a Fifth Form student.

The college then was located in Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan, and relocated to Sungei Besi, Kuala Lumpur in 1961,

While I passed the IQ test to gain admission, the interviewer asked  if I really wanted to join because I was only 14 and going straight to Form Five.

I was confident but soon found the environment was very different from that in Taiping.

There were many students in the college, and the competition to excel was huge.

And I ended up almost last in class for the first month.

I was told to improve or risked being sent back to Form Four.

By the end of the first term, I rose to the 10th placing.

Adaptability grew out of necessity and mother was quite happy with my progress.

I must say that I also inherited her resilience.

RMC sent a report to parents of students every term – on academic and character development – and I was good in all fields.

At RMC, the compulsion to excel was pervasive in the system- encouraging  and driving one another to do better and better.

Suddenly there were so many things to do, and I was really kept very occupied.

The college was located at 5th mile Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan.

They got army trucks to send the Christian boys to church in Port Dickson on Sundays.

After church, we had about an hour to walk around the town , and we liked to eat the pork porridge there.

My monthly pocket money from the college was $20 for first year, $30 for second year and $40 for third year.

The amount was very big money compared to the $2 monthly pocket money from mother.

We always looked forward to holidays.

We got $2.40 rationing for every day out of school and this adds to a tidy sum, about $100 per break.

Meanwhile my talents in debating and sports made me stand out in college.

A group of us went round debating.

Talented, smart and confident: Dr Ling did his college proud.

I remember leading a team to debate in ACS (Anglo Chinese School) .

We won and we came out in the newspapers with the heading ” They came, they saw, they conquered”.

Our motto was “Serious in everything we do”.

Chong Beng Kuan , Yogeswara, Arthur Samuel, Ghani Indot and I formed a band comprising two guitarists and singers, and we called ourselves “Playboys”.

We were quite talented and had our practice sessions singing Rock and Roll songs.

High achiever:  Dr Ling achieved an Honours award at the Outward Bound School  in Lumut in 1959 .

In 1959,  I attended the Outward Bound School in Lumut and achieved an Honours award.

I was made to understand that such an achievement was rare and thus no small feat.

And I was made a prefect upon my return from the Outward Bound School.

Days in RMC were also full of fun and laughter.

We joked, tell stories and got along well.

The experience of regimentation and goodness of discipline had a huge influence in my life later.

My time management is excellent.

I am always punctual and continue to plan my whole day’s activities, my full week’s activities  for instance.

The college also offered very good leadership training with the motto : “Serve to lead”.

I might be the youngest among the 10 prefects but I got elected as the chief prefect.

I think my interpersonal skills were demonstrated at that stage – the ability to get along well with others, friendly and talented in sports.

It was also in college that I learned to be very independent; how to survive under stress and what to do when I got lost.

I was in an environment where I could learn from healthy competition and good role models.

When exam was over, the army trucks would take us to Seremban in Negri Sembilan to catch the last train home.

We were very happy for the three years in college.

Mother was also very happy with my development.

She used to say: “Have I not send you to college, probably you will not be so disciplined.”

Outward Bound School Report

Course 45, Aug 15, 1959 -Sept 9, 1959

In this course, 15 boys attended and were very praiseworthy in their conduct and bearing in the school. They were specially commended by the warden. So it is very gratifying to note that one boy Ling Liong Sik was awarded with an Honours certificate – one which had not been rewarded for the last two years. Eleven others received their merit badges and the rest passed the course.

Photos: Credit to a publication titled A Tribute to…Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik from his colleagues and friends in the Alumni Association of the King Edward VII College of Medicine and the Faculties of Medicine of the University of Malaya and the University of Singapore.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication titled The life story of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik may be reproduced , stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the journalist Foong Pek Yee.