MCA founding member and former Malacca deputy chief minister dies

By Jason Gerald John

MALACCA: Former Deputy Chief Minister and State MCA liaison committee chairman, Tan Sri Tan Cheng Swee was buried yesterday, at the Melaka Memorial Park in Jelutong, here.

He died at Pantai Hospital Ayer Keroh on Sunday night. He was 91.
The Malacca MCA adviser, leaves behind wives, Puan Sri Tay Siew Phung and Nelly Ng, four children, and grandchildren.
A founding member of MCA, Tan served at the deputy Chief Minister of Malacca for six years since 1970 besides serving MCA as a vice-president (1970-1976), treasurer-general (1968-1976) and MCA Malacca liaison committee chairman (1963-1976).
He was also the acting Malacca chief minister on four occasions (1961, 1963, 1967 and 1973).
Being English educated and very conversant in Malay and Mandarin, as well as several Chinese dialects, Tan started his political career by campaigning for the Alliance candidates in the pre-independence municipal elections.
Two years later he was appointed a Malacca executive councilor and it was the beginning of a solid friendship with the late Tun Abdul Ghafar Baba, then the chief minister.
State MCA liaison committee chairman Datuk Gan Tian Loo said Tan's death was a great loss to the state and party.
“Tan had contributed greatly to the state government since his early days in the party and had also steered the party and the state to greater heights during his tenure as the deputy Chief Minister and State MCA chief.
“He was a fatherly figure to everyone, especially the new MCA leaders after his generation,” he said.

MCA founding member and former Malacca deputy chief minister dies

MALACCA: Former Deputy Chief Minister and State MCA liaison committee chairman, Tan Sri Tan Cheng Swee was buried yesterday, at the Melaka Memorial Park in Jelutong, here.

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