13th Year Anniversary of the late Loh Jee Mee

Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister has recently said he was Malay first and that "How can I say I’m Malaysian first and Malay second? All the Malays will shun me and say that it is not proper."
Instantaneously, it reminded me of an election campaign speech delivered by the late Loh Jee Mee.

Approximately 20 years ago, Malaysian held her 8th general election. As in previous general elections and the elections to come, the 1990 general election fell short from being free, fair and clean. The Barisan Nasional (BN) has always fond of “May 13th riot” and playing the racial card during elections and my late father was not spared from it, especially being a DAP candidate.

It was mentioned during the 1990 general election, that he was neither Indian nor Chinese—his late father an Indian and late mother a Chinese. In his campaign speech later that evening, he made it clear that he may not be a true Indian or a true Chinese, but he was a true Malaysian. He was Malaysian first, Chinese or Indian second. The 1990 general election was probably my first lesson on Malaysian Malaysia.

12th Year Anniversary of the late Loh Jee Mee- "..in the pursuit of justice and service for the community."

Our family got together back in 1997 to work on the wordings for our late father's monument. We wanted a short sentence to reflect on his character, and to remind his grand children and great grand children of who he was. Justice and service for the community easily came to mind.

I had the privilege to witness some of his good work throughout my childhood. These include attending and rescuing effort for flood victims at Cenderiang, people in need of blood, police bail, passport and registration issues, disputes and etc. Some of those cries for help came past midnight and he would some times return home early in the morning with muddy pants.

Here is one article that I have gotten from the internet recently. The late Loh Jee Mee started pursuing for an Outpatients' Department in Tapah Hospital since 1966--a mission that he continued on as an elected town councillor in 1968 and subsequently as a Member of Parliament in early 70s.





(From The Rocket July/August 1968)







His perserverence for Tapah Hospital was shown on the following oral answer in the Malaysian Parliament in 1971. I found the following from the Malaysian Parliament website:

Friday, 16th JULY, 1971 at 2:30 pm, Questions for Oral Answer:

21. Tuan Loh Jee Mee: To ask the Minister of Health to
state when the much-delayed Outpatients' Department at
the General Hospital, Tapah will commence operation.

The outpatient's department in Tapah has benefited the community in Tapah over the years since its establishment and years to come.

Here is the link to 11th Anniversary:
http://lohpenglam.blogspot.com/2008/03/in-remembrance-of-local-personality.html

Dinner with Lim Kit Siang at Tapah, Sunday 10th of August 2008

DAP Tapah branch dinner at Dewan Orang Ramai Bukit Pagar, Tapah on the 10th of August, 7:30 pm.

Special Guests:
Lim Kit Siang, Kulasegaran, Sivanesan, Ngeh Koo Ham, Nga Kor Ming, Sivanesan, Chen Fook Chye

DAP Bidor Service Centre Opening Ceremony

(DAP Bidor service centre opening ceremony speech on 24th April 2008)

The March 8th general election was not about Sivanesan’s victory and neither it was the DAP’s victory. But it was the people’s victory! Makkal Sakti!—which means people’s power, and it was people’s power that created 3 historical event in Bidor.

Firstly, the people of Bidor has elected a DAP representative as their “wakil rakyat” which was not seen since 1969 when the late Loh Jee Mee was elected as the DAP MP for Batang Padang.

Secondly, the people of Bidor is part of the history to vote in the DAP as the new state government which was never happen since our independence. (or the people of Bidor is part of the history in voting out the BN state government)

Thirdly, the people of Bidor have voted in a state executive counselor (exco)—the first DAP state exco for Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Sungkai.

Unlike, the MIC whereby their candidate, Datuk Veerasingam, immediately pack his bag and close-shop by 7:30 pm on the 8th of March; Sivanesan of DAP remains committed to Bidor and the people of Bidor despinte loosing the 2004 general election. His service center remains open from 2004 until now.

Today, we are here to officiate the opening of Sivanesan-DAP service centre. The service center will not be officiated by an assembly or an MP, but in recognition of a local personality. Madam Lee, the late Loh Jee Mee's wife will officiate this service centre.

DAP Temoh branch member down with Parkinson's disease

(Photo taken by wife on 12th April 2008 at Temoh, Perak. From left: Madam Lee Chai King--my mother, Kam Weng's wife and Loh Kam Weng)

Visited DAP Temoh, Perak members on Saturday 12th of April for afternoon tea and to sample the famous home made Temoh's “pa0” of various variety.

The main purpose of the trip was to pay a courtesy call to Loh Kam Weng, who has been a DAP member since 1979. Kam Weng was diagnosed with the Parkinson’s disease since last year. He is not fit to work. He has to take medication every 4 hours and struggling with his medication fees of approximately RM400 per month. The DAP Perak team will find ways to help his predicament.

DAP Temoh branch was founded by the Loh Jee Mee back in the 70s. Most of the members are in their 60s now. They have not lost hope or given up the struggle towards a better Malaysia since the 70s despite not having an MP or an elected assemblyman since 1969.

In remembrance of a local personality from Tapah, Perak-- The late Loh Jee Mee.

(Taken from The Star, 28th of March 2008)


Finally, I have managed to start a blog after thinking about it for months.

I would like to start by honoring a man, who I appreciate but left us 11 years ago.

At around 8 p.m. (eastern time zone in US) on the 28th of March exactly 11 years ago, I received a distress call from a lawyer, Surjan Singh. His message was simple—there is a family emergency with regards to your father and you are required to come home as soon as possible. I was expected to take the earliest available flight home. It was a short message with no details.

I immediately called my eldest sister, Soo Mei who was in London to verify such request and if I may be excused since my final year exam was within a month. Moreover, the cost for a round trip ticket from the US to Malaysia was expensive then.

I was troubled when I was greeted by my eldest sister with a tearing voice. She has no intention to keep the passing of my late father a secret despite requests from family members to do so.

11 years have passed but the event is still close to mind. There is much regret that I did not get to spend much time with my late father and to get to know him better—a man who has dedicated his lifetime in pursuit of justice and service to the community.

The late Loh Jee Mee started his political struggle during World War 2, when his late mother (my grand mother); Chan Oi Lin was executed by Japanese soldiers. He was actively involved in the MCA in the 50s and 60s, and was the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) youth leader then. He was elected by the people of Tapah as town counselor in early 60s before the government removed local counselor election.

His first general election appearance was the 1965 general election, when he stood as an independent candidate for Batang Padang parliamentary seat against Hamid Khan, the then Minister of Education. He lost, but committed to soldier on. Politics aside, he was still in good rapport with MCA veteran such as Tan Sri Lee San Choon.

The political break through was seen in the 1969 general election when the late Loh Jee Mee won the Batang Padang parliamentary seat but lost to Ho Seng of MCA for Cenderiang state seat with a slim majority—less than 20 votes. He was therefore the first 13 DAP Member of Parliament (MP) for the 1969-74 term along with Lim Kit Siang and Dr. Chen Man Hin.

History has recorded that the late Loh Jee Mee defended and contested the same seat—Tapah parliament (Batang Padang seat was divided to Tapah and Tanjong Malim from 1974 general election) in 1974, 1978, 1982 and 1986 general election and lost. He has never lost sight of serving the community despite the set-backs in life.

The 1990 general election was his last general appearance. Yet, I am certain that he would have contested another round if health permits. He was elected to the Perak State Assembly in the 1990 general election and retired in 1995.

Besides being the juvenile court advisor for more than 25 years, a committee member for the district well fare department, he was much sort after from locals for various issues even after retirement.

Some one once mentioned that suffering and success go together. If you are succeeding without suffering, it is because others before you have suffered; if you are suffering without succeeding, it is that others after you may succeed.

I am touched and glad to meet those who have succeeded because of him during the recent general election campaign.