I ATTENDED Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik’s wake not just as an academic staff member of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) but also as a Malaysian Chinese reflecting on a life that shaped both community and country. For many young Malaysians, Dr Ling does not belong to their political era. Even for those of us trained in political science, he is often remembered as part of the “Mahathir 1.0” period, alongside Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun S. Samy Vellu, forming the backbone of the Barisan Nasional leadership in the 1990s.

Source: The Star April 08, 2026 05:38 UTC