Tan Siew Sin

{{Short description|Malaysian politician, Former Minister of Finance and Commerce and Industry}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun

| name = Tan Siew Sin

| native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|zh-hant|陳修信}}}}

| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=MYS|size=100|SSM|SPMS|JP}}

| image = Tan Siew Sin.jpg

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1916|5|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Malacca, Straits Settlements

| death_date = {{death date and age|1988|3|17|1916|5|21|df=y}}

| death_place = Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

| office = 3rd President of the Malaysian Chinese Association

| term_start = November 1961

| term_end = 8 April 1974

| predecessor = Cheah Toon Lok (Acting)
Lim Chong Eu

| successor = Lee San Choon

| constituency =

| office2 = Minister of Finance

| term_start2 = 22 August 1959

| term_end2 = 8 April 1974

| primeminister2 = Tunku Abdul Rahman
Abdul Razak

| predecessor2 = H.S. Lee

| successor2 = Hussein Onn

| constituency2 =

| office3 =

| term_start3 =

| term_end3 =

| predecessor3 =

| successor3 =

| constituency3 =

| party = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Malaysian Chinese Association.svg}} Malayan Chinese Association (MCA)

| religion =

| occupation = Politician

| father = Tun Sir Tan Cheng Lock

| spouse = Toh Puan Datin Seri Catherine Lim Cheng Neo (林清娘)

| children = 3

| website =

| footnotes =

}}

Tan Siew Sin ({{zh|s=陈修信 |zh|t=陳修信 |p=Chén Xīuxìn|poj=Tân Siu-sìn|first=poj}}; 21 May 1916 – 17 March 1988) was a Malaysian politician who served as the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Minister of Finance, and 3rd President of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA, formerly Malayan Chinese Association), a major component party of Alliance and later Barisan Nasional (BN) coalitions. In his term as the Minister of Finance, a new Malaysian currency, Malaysian Ringgit was introduced. He is the longest-serving Minister of Finance by serving in the position for 15 years.

Early life

Goh was born in Malacca on 21 May 1916 as the only son of Malaysian statesman and Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) founder Tan Cheng Lock. Of Peranakan heritage, he did not speak Mandarin. He was educated at Malacca High School and later studied at Raffles College in Singapore. Tan was also a cousin of Goh Keng Swee, who would later become a key architect of Singapore's economic development and serve in several important ministerial roles, including Minister for Finance and Minister for Defence. Despite their familial ties, Tan and Goh became political opponents during the period of Singapore's merger with and subsequent separation from Malaysia.{{Cite web |url=http://www.tourism-melaka.com/tuntansiewsin.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-02-20 |archive-date=2011-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717080145/http://www.tourism-melaka.com/tuntansiewsin.pdf |url-status=dead }}

In 1935, he felt ill and was diagnosed as having tuberculosis. He fully recovered after an operation in Switzerland for treatment. Three years later, he moved on to his higher education in the field of law in England. He never completed his legal studies. Fearing an outbreak of war in Europe, in July 1939, his father ordered him and his two sisters to leave London and return to Malacca. On 1 September 1939, Adolf Hitler invaded Poland, an event that marked the start of World War II. For this reason, He studied only one year of law. He returned from London to take over the family's plantation business that year.{{Cite web|url=http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=490931:kuan-yew-my-father-siew-sins-daughter-speaks-up&Itemid=2#axzz49NPpuwHu|title = Homepage| work=Malaysia Chronicle |date = 30 September 2020 | last1=Choo | first1=Tan Siok }}

Political career

Tan Siew Sin was elected a Member of Parliament for Malacca in 1955.{{cite web |url=http://www.mca.org.my/en/about-us/about-mca/history-zone/former-presidents/tun-tan-siew-sin/ |title=Tun Tan Siew Sin |work=Malaysian Chinese Association |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323201434/http://www.mca.org.my/en/about-us/about-mca/history-zone/former-presidents/tun-tan-siew-sin/ |archive-date=2014-03-23 }} He joined the Malaysian cabinet first as minister of trade and industry, and later became the finance minister in 1959.{{cite web |author= Pillai, M.G.G. |date=Nov 3, 2005|url=http://www.malaysia-today.net/columns/pillai/2005/11/national-front-parties-were-not-formed.htm |title=National Front parties were not formed to fight for Malaysian independence |work= Malaysia Today |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070616184702/http://www.malaysia-today.net/columns/pillai/2005/11/national-front-parties-were-not-formed.htm |archive-date=June 16, 2007 }} He then took over as president of the MCA in November 1961, and held on to both positions until 1974. Tan was appointed the Deputy Chairman of the Alliance in 1964. He led his party to victory in the 1964 General Election, winning 27 of the 33 parliamentary seats contested.

Tan however came under criticism for not pushing for the recognition of Mandarin as an official language and the establishment of a Mandarin language university. In March 1968, Tan proposed setting up the Tunku Abdul Rahman College for Chinese youths who would otherwise be denied an opportunity to tertiary education. The college was formally set up on February 24, 1969. Under Tan's stewardship, the MCA also set up Koperasi Serbaguna Malaysia (KSM), an initiative of MCA Youth based on the cooperative principle.{{cite web |url=http://www.ksmberhad.com.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=2 |title=About Us |work=Koperasi Serbaguna Malaysia Berhad }}

In the 1969 general election, MCA lost more than half its seats to the new, mainly Chinese Malaysian, opposition parties Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan). Tan considered taking the party out of the Alliance but decided against it. In order to regain Chinese support, Tan attempted to broaden the appeal of the party previously seen as a party of the taukeh (tou jia, rich men), and invited professionals to join the party.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c9EEhjQ3tQAC&pg=PA124 |title=Chinese Schools in Peninsular Malaysia: The Struggle for Survival |author=Ting Hui Lee |page=124 |publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies |year= 2011 |isbn=9789814279215 }} Other initiatives included the Chinese Unity Movement and the Perak Task Force to help built support in New Villages in Perak.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=v9QEBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA1107 |title=Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: A Biographical Dictionary |author=Heng Pek Koon |editor= Leo Suryadinata |pages=1106–1108 |publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies |year= 2012 |isbn=978-9814345217 }} In 1973, Tan Siew Sin requested a position as Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet reshuffle following the death of Tun Dr. Ismail, but this was refused by Tun Abdul Razak, which angered Tan.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Owo39zRMQbwC&pg=PA147 |title= Malaysia: The Making of a Nation|author= Cheah Boon Kheng |publisher= Institute of Southeast Asian Studies |year= 2002 |pages=147–148 |isbn=978-9812301543 }} Tan retired from politics on 8 April 1974 after undergoing lung surgery. After his resignation he became a financial advisor to the government on economic issues.

Business career

After his retirement from politics, Tan was nominated chairman of Sime Darby. He was also the chairman of United Malacca Rubber Estates, and sat on the boards of a number of companies, including Unitac, Siemens, Pacific Bank, Highlands & Lowlands, and Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance. Tan was also president of the National Shooting Association of Malaysia.

Death

Tan Siew Sin died on 17 March 1988 in Kuala Lumpur, and was buried in the family burial ground in Malacca.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=md9UAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA196 |title=Chronicle of Malaysia: Fifty Years of Headline News, 1963-2013|author= Philip Mathew |page=196 |date=2014 |publisher=Editions Didier Millet |isbn=978-9671061749 }}{{cite news | title=Siew Sin dies of heart attack | work=New Straits Times | date=19 March 1988 | pages=1}}

His widow, Catherine Lim Cheng Neo, whom he married on 8 February 1947 was an active campaigner for family planning. They had three daughters.

In Kuala Lumpur, there is a street, Jalan Tun Tan Siew Sin (formerly Jalan Silang) which was renamed after him in 2003. At Tunku Abdul Rahman University College 's Main Campus in Kuala Lumpur there is a new building named after him, known as "Bangunan Tun Tan Siew Sin".

Honours

=Honours of Malaysia=

{{Flag|Malaysia}} :
50px Recipient of the Malaysian Commemorative Medal (Gold) (PPM) (1965){{cite web|url=http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/|title=SEMAKAN PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT|publisher=Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia)|access-date=1 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929181530/http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/|archive-date=29 September 2018|url-status=dead}}
50px Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (SSM) – Tun (1967){{cite web|url=https://www.istiadat.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1967.pdf|title=Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1967.}}
{{Flag|Selangor}} :
50px Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) – Dato' Seri (1985){{cite web|title=SPMS 1985|url=https://awards.selangor.gov.my/sublinkyear.php?cat=28&subcat=S.P.M.S.|website=awards.selangor.gov.my|access-date=1 January 2022}}

= Foreign Honours =

{{flag|Belgium}} :
50px Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II (1967){{Cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19670428-1.2.64|title=Belgium honours Tun and 3 Ministers|date=28 April 1967|work=The Straits Times|pages=7}}
{{flag|Indonesia}} :
50px Star of Mahaputera 2nd Class{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z2xPAAAAIBAJ&dq=bintang+mahaputera&pg=PA6&article_id=6880,882310|title=Tun Tan Siew Sin: Tall among greats|work=New Straits Times|date=19 March 1988|pages=6|language=en}}
{{flag|Philippine}} :
50px Grand Cross of the Order of Sikatuna, Rank of Datu (GCrS)

=Other=

On June 28, 2003, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad posthumously awarded Tan the National Integrity Award{{Cite web |date=2003-07-04 |title=Posthumous awards for three |url=https://www.klik.com.my/item/story/4187423/posthumous-awards-for-three |access-date= |website=New Straits Times}} and paid tribute to his contributions to the nation.{{Cite web |date=2003-06-29 |title=Emulate the three Tuns, Dr Mahathir tells Malaysians |url=https://www.klik.com.my/item/story/1829201/emulate-the-three-tuns-dr-mahathir-tells-malaysians |access-date= |website=New Sunday Times}}

References

[http://www.ffpam.org.my/pof.asp Pioners] FFPAM (Federation of Family Planning Associations, Malaysia) website, accessed 20 August 2005.
World Book Encyclopedia, Australasian edition, 1966

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20140323201434/http://www.mca.org.my/en/about-us/about-mca/history-zone/former-presidents/tun-tan-siew-sin/ Biography of Tan Siew Sin] from Malaysian Chinese Association
[http://malaysiafactbook.com/Tun_Tan_Siew_Sin Tan Siew Sin] from Malaysia Factbook

{{s-bef

| before = Cheah Toon Lok (Acting)
Lim Chong Eu

}}

{{s-ttl

| title = Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) President

| years = November, 1961 – April 8, 1974

}}

{{s-aft

| after = Lee San Choon

}}

{{Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia}}

Category:1916 births