Kesetiaan bersama terhadap negara tonggak visi Malaya Tan Cheng Lock

Wee Ka Siong, the president of MCA, emphasized the importance of shared devotion and loyalty to Malaysia among the Malaysian people during the launch of the biographical book on Tan Cheng Lock. Wee highlighted Tan's belief in the significance of cultural identity and traditions, despite differences in ethnicity and religion. He noted that Malaysia's citizens should have a sense of ownership and shared commitment to the nation.

Tan had promoted his vision of a "Malay awareness" among the Chinese community before independence because he believed that they should prove their loyalty to their homeland.

Tan Cheng Lock's daughter, Tan Siok Choo, acknowledged her father's ability to unite and lead the Chinese community in Malaysia, even though they spoke a combination of Peranakan Malay and English. She further stated that the Chinese community deeply respects Tan Cheng Lock for his personal values rooted in Chinese identity. Siok Choo also mentioned that her family's ancestral home displays paintings of Chinese historical figures like Guan Yu, symbolizing loyalty and honesty.

Guan Yu never wavered and was willing to sacrifice his life to avoid betraying his oath of brotherhood.

The controversial issue of who founded the MCA continued to be debated, with Wee Ka Siong's wife, Tan Siok Choo, co-editing the book with academic Heng Pek Koon. They initiated the eight-year project to research archives across Malaysia, Singapore, India, and China. The primary objective of the project was to clarify the ongoing academic debate regarding who founded the MCA, as many historians had previously linked the establishment of the party to HS Lee.

Siok Choo expressed her primary motivations for launching the project, including her desire to learn more about her father and settle academic disputes concerning the party's founder.