Media statement by Teresa Kok Suh Sim in Petaling Jaya on Monday, 3rd January 2011:
Special Memorial Service for Fan Yew Teng, former MP and Acting DAP Secretary-General in Kuala Lumpur on 5.1.2011
A special memorial service in honour of patriot Fan Yew Teng, former Acting DAP Secretary-General, Member of Parliament for Kampar and Menglembu, Selangor State Assemblyman for Petaling Jaya, trade unionist, human rights activist and humanist will be held in Kuala Lumpur at the YMCA Hall, KL on Wednesday 5th January 2011 from 8 pm to 11 pm.
Attending the memorial meeting which is convened by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang are Fan’s wife Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, United Nations Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), his twin daughters Lilianne and Pauline, his brother former MP (Sungai Besi) Farn Seong Than and other family members.
Special guests include Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, DAP National Chairman Karpal Singh, founder DAP National Chairman Dr. Chen Man Hin, political and trade union leaders and veterans, human rights and NGO activists like Dr. Syed Husin Ali, Dr. Muhammad Nur Manuty, S. Arutchelvan, Mohd Anuar Tahir, Subky Abdul Latif and A. Rajaguru.
Fan Yew Teng died of cancer in Bangkok on December 7, 2010. I have known him since the early 90s when I entered politics and became more involved in social issues.
I remember him as someone who is incredibly passionate about human rights and justice issues.
When Lim Kit Siang was detained under ISA in 1969, he served as acting secretary general, helping to hold fort for DAP.
Fan Yew Teng was the first victim of the draconian Sedition Act – his sedition trial dragged on for six years from 1971-1977, going to the Privy Council in the United Kingdom twice ending in his conviction and disqualification as elected Member of Parliament.
He played an active role in the Support, Sympathy and Solidarity (SSS) with Lim Guan Eng campaign in protest against Guan Eng’s unjust imprisonment in Kajang in 1998.
He returned to the DAP in 1998 after leaving the party for 20 years and contested in the 1999 general elections in the DAP and Barisan Alternative campaign to create “A Just Malaysia” as a Perak State Assembly candidate but was not successful.
Fan Yew Teng wrote numerous articles and books to express his views, advocating for the poor, weak and marginalized.
His concerns cut across all circles. He didn’t care about different religions or race. He was truly colour-blind in his conviction.
Friends, acquaintances and Malaysians are invited to the memorial service to pay tribute to a patriot and humanist who had dedicated his whole life to championing the oppressed and fighting all forms of injustices.
A memorial service for Fan Yew Teng will also be held in Ipoh at the Excelsior Hotel (14th floor) Conference Room on Thursday, 6th January 2011.
* Teresa Kok Suh Sim, Chairperson of the Fan Yew Teng memorial service committee (KL)