A Tribute by Friends of Suaram

Tribute to Jing Quee:

No compromise of principles; No waver in the struggle

A tribute from Friends of Suaram (FOS) Working Committee Johore to Comrade Tan Jing Quee who passed on on 14 June 2011:

Today, we from Friends of Suaram (FOS) Working Committee Johor, mourn with deep grief for the passing on of Comrade Tan Jing Quee. Comrade Jing Quee was one of the leaders involved in the Student Movement in the 1950s. He was the President of the Singapore University Socialist Club and editor of its publication – Fajar. He was also the editor of the University of Singapore Students Union’s organ "Malayan Undergraduate". He took an active part in the left-wing trade union movement after his graduation from the University of Malaya in Singapore. He was the secretary of the now-defunct Singapore Business Houses Employees Union, and the deputy secretary general of SATU (Singapore Association of Trade Unions).

He contested as a Barisan Sosialis candidate in the Singapore Election held on 21 September1963, though he suffered defeat at the hands of the late S. Rajaratnam by a tiny majority. In October 1963, He was detained without trial by Lee Kuan Yew’s regime under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for 3 years.

Jing Quee studied law in the UK upon his release from detention and qualified as a barrister. It was in UK he met his wife Rose. Upon his return from UK, He soon set up a law firm in partnership with Lim Chin Joo (the younger brother of Barisan Sosialis’s leader Lim Chin Siong). He retired from legal practice about 10 years ago because of impaired eyesight. But he never ceased showing concern for the people and for the future of the country. We are deeply saddened by his passing on though it was inevitable.

Despite his declining health, bitter experience in life and harsh environment, he never wavered in his struggle. He showed great interest in writing and editing books. In 2001, he edited and published “Comet in Our Sky: Lim Chin Siong in History”. His article “Lim Chin Siong’s Political Life” found in part 1 of the book was translated into Chinese by Yang Pei Keng, a lawyer.

Many of the younger social activists and democrats in FOS Working Committee Johor got to know about you from this book. You and the late Lim Chin Siong referred to in your book always had the interests of the nation and the populace at heart. You never compromised your principles nor kowtowed to the reactionary forces. You are our role model.

In recent years, despite your ill health, you wrote and edited a collection of poems and several anthology of history. You were involved in the translation of “The Mighty Wave” a novel by He Jin. You travelled from north to south to attend political forums and book launch in Singapore and Malaysia. You maintained good relationship with human rights activists, democrats and socialists across the country. You had free and frank discussions with them, sharing your views with them, working together striving for the reform of the country and for the establishment of a democratic, equal, free and just society. Several members of our FOS Working Committee met you the first time in one Socialism Forum held in Kuala Lumpur. They were greatly impressed by the clear cut stand taken and the firm attitude shown by you towards the undercurrent and the erroneous ideas present in the socialist movement.

Comrade Jing Quee, although there was not much exchange of views between you and us, your strong will had deeply touched the feelings of every one of us. You gave no thought to any personal gains or losses, no compromise of principles, no waver in your struggle for the interests of the nation and the people, until the last day of your life. As your business partner put it, you could have advanced much further in your career, but you chose to pursue a worthy cause. It was not your personal ambition to make money throughout your life. You have set a brilliant example for the younger generation of social activists and political workers in both Malaysia and Singapore. Your soul goes marching on. You will always be remembered by us.

Comrade Jing Quee, May you rest in peace!

Friends of Suaram (FOS) Working Committee Johor

18th June 2011