Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia and Wawasan Open University (WOU) are jointly organising “The Life and Legacy of the late Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu – A Tribute by Malaysians” at the university’s main campus on January 23 (Sunday), from 10.00am to 12.30pm. The event is being held with the consent of the family of the late Tun Lim.

Among the speakers on that day are Gerakan national president Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon and Gerakan Life Members Council chairman Tun Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, who had formerly led the party after taking over the presidency from the late Tun Lim. Other Gerakan veterans, Wawasan Education Foundation chairman Dato’ Seri Stephen Yeap and WOU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr. Wong Tat Meng will also be speaking at the tribute which will be held in four languages – English, Malay, Mandarin and Hokkien.

The floor will be opened to allow those who have worked closely with Tun Lim and the members of the public to share how their lives have been touched and enriched by Tun Lim. As a mark of respect, all wishing to attend the tribute event are requested to dress in formal attire.

Speaking at a joint press conference at the WOU main campus on January 7th, Penang Gerakan chairman Dato’ Dr. Teng Hock Nan stated that in 1968, Tun Lim together with some academicians and union leaders, such as Syed Hussein Alatas, V. Veerapan and Tan Sri Dr. David Tan Chee Koon, founded Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, a multiracial political party in Malaysia which addresses issues and challenges in a non-racial way.

“Before this, the political landscape in Malaysia was mainly racial because of race-based political parties like Umno, MIC and MCA. This multiracialism is what we in Parti Gerakan are proud of,” he said.

Dr. Teng shared that Tun Lim still held steadfast to this idealism even in the last few years of his life and wanted Barisan Nasional to be transformed into a single, multiracial political party rather than existing as a coalition of various parties.

“Malaysians from every ethnic group should remember the legacy left behind by this great man, great statesman and great politician,” he stated, calling on Malaysians to remember and emulate Tun Lim’s fighting spirit and his commitment to multi-racial politics in Malaysia.

Dr. Teng said that being Malaysian doesn’t make one “less Malay, less Chinese, less Indian, less Kadazan, less Iban, less of our ethnic identity” and that we should celebrate our diversity. “The 1Malaysia concept is actually the same as what Tun Lim foresaw 43 years ago. This shows how far-sighted he was during his time,” added Dr. Teng.

Meanwhile Prof Wong informed that there will be a brief ceremony during the tribute to mark the naming of the WOU main library as the Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu Library and Digital Learning Resource Centre.

He noted that “Tun Lim knew way back in the 1980s about the importance of technology and the emerging capabilities of the Internet for the progress and future of commerce and education in Malaysia”, making him the perfect choice to serve as the founding Chancellor of WOU from 2007 to 2010.

During the memorial event, there will be a display of photographs and video clips of the late Tun Lim. WOU has also set up a Facebook group and the public are invited to share comments, recollections, or post photos and videos of the late Tun Lim by logging on to http://www.facebook.com/WawasanOpenUniversity to access the tribute event page.

by Editorial Desk
gerakan4u.com