Cakap cakap...Tun Omar Ong Yoke Lin

Malaysia's Last Independence Fighter - Omar Ong Yoke Lin

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 (Bernama) -- With the death of Tun Omar Ong Yoke Lin, Malaysia mourned the loss of its last Independence fighter and the last member of the country's first Cabinet under Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Omar was a founding member of MCA and in 1952, together with Datuk Yahya Razak of Umno, paved the formation of the MCA-Umno Alliance that led to the birth of the multi-racial coalition and forerunner of the Barisan Nasional that continues to rule the country today.

"It was Ong Yoke Lin (now Tan Sri Omar Ong Yoke Lin) who got together with Datuk Yahya and decided to form an alliance to contest this election," Tunku wrote in his 1977 book, "Looking Back", harking back to the 1952 Kuala Lumpur municipal elections while the country was still under British rule.

The Alliance captured nine of the 12 seats in the elections and it was joined by MIC later.

Omar was then Selangor MCA chief and went on to become MCA vice-president and Member of Parliament for Hulu Selangor.

Dato Yahaya was my grandfather’s (Dr Abdul Latiff) brother. Here I would like to share with you what my uncle, Razalli Yahaya (eldest son of Dato Yahaya) remembered about the goings on at his father’s house when Tun Omar and Tunku came to visit his father at their house at 40 Jalan Kemuning, Imbi Road.



He recalled in 1952; Tun Omar Ong and Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj would come to their house in 40 Jalan Kemuning, Imbi Road to discuss politics. Tun Omar would arrive between 4 - 4:30 pm and Tunku between 5 - 5:30 pm.
 
When they came Razalli, being the eldest would have to serve tea. That was also the time when he and friends including the former Bar Council President, Dato' Param Cumaresan was playing badminton. Being a teenager at that time; it was "troublesome" !!!!

 What they would do was locked the gate and someone would "stand guard"; when Tun Omar arrived, Razalli would tell him that his dad was out. Tun Omar would ask, "Kereta ada?". He would reply. "Keluar dengan kawan". The same thing would happen when Tunku arrived. 

Razalli regretted his actions and apologized; he is glad that his actions did not jeopardized the country political scene.

 Al-Fatihah to the three great individuals who helped shape our country.