Ling Liong Sik
林良实
Acting Prime Minister of Malaysia
Covering duties
4 February 1988  16 February 1988
MonarchIskandar
Preceded byMahathir Mohamad
Succeeded byMahathir Mohamad
6th President of the Malaysian Chinese Association
In office
3 September 1986  23 May 2003
Preceded byTan Koon Swan
Succeeded byOng Ka Ting
Chancellor of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
Assumed office
18 January 2017
Preceded byPosition established
Ministerial roles
1976–1978Parliamentary Secretary of Local Government and Federal Territories
1978–1982Deputy Minister of Information
1982–1984Deputy Minister of Finance
1984–1986Deputy Minister of Education
1986–2003Minister of Transport
Faction represented in Dewan Rakyat
1974–2004Barisan Nasional
Personal details
Born (1943-09-18) 18 September 1943
Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Japanese occupation of Malaya
CitizenshipMalaysian
Political party Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) (since 1971)
Other political
affiliations
Barisan Nasional (BN)
SpouseOng Ee Nah (王维娜)
ChildrenLing Hee Leong, Ling Hee Keat
EducationRoyal Military College
Alma materUniversity of Singapore
OccupationDoctor

Ling Liong Sik (simplified Chinese: 林良实; traditional Chinese: 林良實; pinyin: Lín Liángshí; Foochow Romanized: Lìng Liòng-sĭk; born 18 September 1943) is a retired Malaysian politician. He was the sixth president of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), a component party of Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and also the former Malaysian Minister for Transport.[1][2] Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak filed the suit against Ling Liong Sik on 2015, alleging that Ling had made libellous remarks against him in an article carried on a news portal.[3]

He is the current chancellor and former chairman of the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR).[4] UTAR's Dewan Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik is named in honour after him.[5]

In 27 October 2015, Prime Minister Najib Razak is suing Ling Liong Sik for allegedly implying that he had misused public fund for his personal interests.[6] In 22 May 2018, Najib has withdrawn his defamation suit against Ling Liong Sik over the alleged misuse of public funds.[7]

He is also one of the most influential Chinese politicians in contemporary Malaysia.

Personal life

Ling was born on September 18, 1943, at Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Federated Malay States. He received his primary education at King Edward VII School in Taiping, Perak from 1950 to 1957, and his secondary education at the Royal Military College in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan from 1958 to 1960. Ling went on to pursue his higher education at the University of Singapore in 1961, graduating with a MBBS medical degree in 1966. His first post-varsity occupation involved a move to the Pearl of the Orient, where he was stationed as a physician in Penang General Hospital from 1966 to 1968. Ling later left the hospital to set up his own private practice in Butterworth, Province Wellesley from 1968 to 1975.

He is married to Toh Puan Ong Ee Nah and has two sons: Ling Hee Leong and Ling Hee Keat.

Education

Ling studied in Royal Military College (Malaysia) in 1956. He graduated as a medical doctor from University of Singapore in 1966. Subsequently, he set up his practice in Penang.

Political career

In 1974, he was elected as Member of Parliament for Mata Kuching, Penang. He successfully defended his position in 1978 and 1982. He was elected Member of Parliament for Labis, Johor in 1986. He also subsequently successfully defended his position in the 1990, 1995 and 1999 general elections.

He was elected in 1986 as the sixth President of the MCA; he held this position for almost 17 years until 2003.

In 1986, he was appointed Transport Minister. Prior to that, he had held the position of Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Local Government and Federal Territory, Deputy Information Minister, Deputy Finance Minister and Deputy Education Minister.

He was the Minister of Transport of Malaysia from 7 January 1986 till 25 May 2003.

Acting Prime Minister

In 1988, Ling was briefly the Acting Prime Minister (from 4 February 1988 to 16 February 1988), due to an internal struggle between different factions in UMNO, leading to a legal challenge and the deregistration of UMNO.[8]

UTAR chancellor

On 18 January 2017, Ling Liong Sik was installed as University Tunku Abdul Rahman's (UTAR) first chancellor during the university's 24th convocation ceremony.[9]

Najib Razak defamation case

On 27 October 2015, Prime Minister Najib Razak has filed a suit against Ling Liong Sik for allegedly defaming him. Ling Liong Sik had made remarks in an article entitled "MCA's Liong Sik joins call for Najib's ouster for allegedly putting people's money in his own pocket" which were published in the Malay Mail online portal. Ling Liong Sik was quoted saying in the article that he agreed with former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad's demands for Najib to resign, claiming that Najib "has taken people's money and put it in his own personal accounts".[10]

On 13 January 2016, Najib said Ling Liong Sik did not act as a bona fide "elder statesman". In his reply to Ling's defence and counter-claim against his suit for defamation, Najib said Ling had acted recklessly and with mala fide (bad intention) to tarnish his image and reputation.[11]

On 18 July 2016, The High Court in Kuala Lumpur dismissed former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's affidavit in support of Ling Liong Sik's application to strike out Najib's suit. In her decision made in chambers, Justice Nor Bee Ariffin considered the affidavit filed by Mahathir as hearsay.[12]

On 23 December 2016, The High Court fixed March 23, 2017, to decide on an application by Ling Liong Sik to strike out a suit filed against him by Najib.[13]

On 22 February 2017, the court deferred a decision on the application, on the grounds that Najib could sue in his capacity as a public official.[14]

On 8 January 2018, The High Court in Kuala Lumpur has postponed the hearing of the defamation suit brought by Najib against Ling Liong Sik. According to Najib's lawyer Nor Emelia Iszeham , the court has yet to dispose of Ling's application to strike out the suit, filed in February 2016, which will push the hearing to April 2018.[15]

On 16 March 2018, Ling Liong Sik has failed to strike out the suit filed by Najib. Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Justice Nor Bee Arifin said the matter should go on trial to see whether Najib has the legal standing in the suit.[16]

On 22 May 2018, Najib has withdrawn his defamation suit against Ling Liong Sik over the alleged misuse of public funds. Ling's lawyer Ranjit Singh told reporters after meeting High Court judicial commissioner Goon Siew Chye in chambers that Najib decided to withdraw the suit against his client and the court ordered him to pay a RM25,000 in costs.[17][18]

Political positions

In 18 February 2016, Ling Liong Sik spared no bullets in his latest attack on Prime Minister Najib Razak. According to Ling, there is nothing wrong with UMNO and BN.[19]

It is only Najib and (the prime minister's wife) Rosmah.

We remove Najib and Rosmah, the country will return to normal. Peace, stability and progress will return to Malaysia.

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia[20][21]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1974 P036 Mata Kuching, Penang Ling Liong Sik (MCA) 13,755 53.97% Ong Yi How (PEKEMAS) 8,457 33.18% 26,354 5,298 83.97%
Goh Lim Eam (DAP) 3,273 12.84%
1978 Ling Liong Sik (MCA) 23,564 65.27% Loh Kim Heng (SDP) 8,365 23.17% N/A 15,199 N/A
Abdul Hamid Abdullah (PAS) 5,298 11.56%
1982 Ling Liong Sik (MCA) 26,995 62.11% Goh Sin Khoon (DAP) 14,839 34.14% 44,646 12,156 77.46%
Raja Ahamed Narudin @ Raja Mohamed Raja Sulaiman (IND) 1,626 3.74%
1986 P118 Labis, Johor Ling Liong Sik (MCA) 18,182 67.96% Tan Tien Lim (DAP) 8,571 32.04% 27,650 9,611 72.26%
1990 Ling Liong Sik (MCA) 17,710 58.65% Ahmad Ton (DAP) 12,485 41.35% 31,292 5,225 74.06%
1995 P128 Labis, Johor Ling Liong Sik (MCA) 24,185 72.57% Ahmad Ton (DAP) 9,140 27.43% 34,693 15,045 73.17%
1999 Ling Liong Sik (MCA) 23,709 70.53% Ahmad Ton (DAP) 9,908 29.47% 34,775 13,801 71.44%

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

See also

References

  1. Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik Archived 4 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, thestar.com.my
  2. Past Presidents, Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik Archived 21 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Malaysian Chinese Association
  3. Mageswari, M. "Najib sues Dr Ling for defamation". The Star. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  4. "University Council". UTAR. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  5. "UTAR Commemorates 10th Anniversary". UTAR. 17 March 2015.
  6. "Najib sues Ling over defamatory remarks". NST Online. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  7. Nazlina, Maizatul. "Najib withdraws defamation suit against Ling Liong Sik". The Star. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  8. "For A Few Days In 1988, Malaysia Actually Had A Chinese Prime Minister". Malaysia Today. 26 February 2019.
  9. Leen, Chan LI. "Dr Ling installed as Utar chancellor". The Star. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  10. "Malaysian PM Najib sues former Cabinet minister Ling Liong Sik for defamation". The Straits Times. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  11. Yatim, Hafiz (13 January 2016). "Najib: Ling acted recklessly to tarnish image, reputation". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  12. Yatim, Hafiz (18 July 2016). "Najib succeeds in expunging Mahathir's affidavit in support of Ling". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  13. "Ling to know in March whether he can strike out Najib's suit". Malaysiakini. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  14. Yatim, Hafiz (22 February 2017). "Pending Guan Eng's appeal, court declines to rule in Najib-Ling case". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  15. Chie, Kow Gah (8 January 2018). "Court postpones hearing of Najib's suit against ex-MCA president". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  16. Yatim, Hafiz (16 March 2018). "Ex-MCA president fails to strike out Najib's suit". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  17. "Najib drops 1MDB defamation suit against Dr Ling". NST Online. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  18. "Najib drops 1MDB defamation suit against former transport minister Ling Liong Sik". news.nestia.com. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  19. Chie, Kow Gah (18 February 2016). "Ling: Peace and progress will return if Najib, Rosmah removed". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  20. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  21. "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Results only available from the 2004 election.
  22. "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 2004" (PDF).
  23. "DPMP 1982". pingat.perak.gov.my. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  24. "SPMP 1989". pingat.perak.gov.my. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  25. "DPMS 1992". awards.selangor.gov.my. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
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