How one man and his library changed a washerwoman’s son

Munisamy Arumugam

Aliran and several speakers have used words like justice, freedom, solidarity, endurance and fairness.

Every time these words were mentioned, I thought about the late Tan Sri Dr Tan Chee Khoon.

As someone who knew Dr Tan and his family, I would also like to add compassion for humankind to that list.

Let me share one page from history to illustrate my point.

It’s about a boy whose mother worked as a washerwoman and whose father was a gardener for Dr Tan’s household. Along with his sisters, the boy’s family lived in the servants’ quarters at Madge Drive, and later at Freeman Road, off U Thant Road in Kuala Lumpur.

We’ll call this boy Sam – not his real name.

Before moving into Dr Tan’s house, Sam was a playful, naughty boy. He was irresponsible and neglected his studies.

But all that changed once he moved in. Dr Tan would check Sam’s school report card alongside that of his own son, Tan Kee Kwong. Sam often got an earful for his mediocre results. Mrs Tan, too, kept an eye on his progress at school.

Sam was also treated like one of the family. He dined with the Tans and went to the cinema with them. Anyone watching would have thought he was one of Dr Tan’s own children.

Dr Tan’s vast collection of military books also opened doors for Sam. It helped him pursue his dream of a respectable career.

One story about Dr Tan’s library shows just how extensive his collection of military books – and others – was.

Even as an opposition leader, Dr Tan was often invited as a guest lecturer at the Armed Forces Staff College (MTAT). Officers from the three armed services – army, navy and air force – and the police attended this course. Foreign military officers were also invited.

Dr Tan did not lecture them on diabetes or orthopaedics. He spoke to them about military history and military strategy at an international level. He was a recognised master of these subjects.

On these occasions, it was customary for the then commandant of the college, Gen Arulpragasam, to invite Dr Tan to lunch after his lectures, at the college’s mess hall with some of the staff.

On one such occasion, after lunch, Gen Arul invited Dr Tan to visit the college’s Armed Forces Library, to show off his proud collection of military books, before Dr Tan left for his dispensary to attend to his patients that day.

Days later, Dr Tan returned the hospitality. He invited Gen Arul and his college staff to his house at Madge Drive for dinner. Afterwards, it is said, Dr Tan took his guests to his own library, this time to show off his own collection of military books.

Awed by its size, Gen Arul turned to Dr Tan and was heard to joke: “Doctor, can we exchange our libraries?”

Dr Tan had a deep and genuine desire to help underprivileged, low-income people build better lives and become useful members of society. Sam was one of the beneficiaries of that spirit.

Thanks to Tan Sri Dr Tan Chee Khoon and his family, that playful, irresponsible boy can stand before you today and speak to you as retired Lt Col Munisamy Arumugam, a former pilot with the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

Many thanks to Aliran and Ms Tan Poh Lai for giving me this opportunity to convey my gratitude to the legendary Tan Sri Dr Tan Chee Khoon and his family.

Retired Lt Col Munisamy Arumugam shared this story at the Aliran forum in honour of Dr Tan Chee Khoon in Kuala Lumpur on 23 August with the theme Merdeka, Multiracialism and Dissent, Without Fear or Favour.

Support Aliran's work with an online donation. Scan this QR code using your mobile phone e-wallet or banking app: