born April 5, 1883, Malacca, Straits Settlements
died Dec. 8, 1960, Malacca
Malaysian Chinese community leader and politician.
Born to a wealthy Chinese family, he campaigned against "pro-Malay" policies and in favour of equal rights for all ethnic groups, whether immigrant or indigenous. After World War II, he supported the British proposal for a unitary state with common citizenship, which the Malays rejected. During the Malayan Emergency , he cooperated with the British to promote national unity. In 1949 he was chosen to head the Malayan Chinese Association, the first full-fledged centrist Malayan Chinese political party, and he continued as its head after Malayan independence in 1957.