Tan Cheng Lock

Tan Cheng Lock

(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.