by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Sunday, May 29, 1994:
Loot Ting Yee’s defeat for the post of UCSTAM President most shocking and tantamounts to a repudiation of the struggle and sacrifices of UCSTAM and UCSCAM for Chinese education in the past three decades
Loot Ting Yee’s defeat for the post of United Chinese School Teachers’ Association of Malaysia (UCSTAM) President following the retirement of Sim Mow Yu is most shocking and tantamounts to a repudiation of the struggle and sacrifices of UCSTAM and United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (UCSCAM) for Chinese education in the past three decades.
For the last thirty years, the three key figures in UCSCAM and UCSTAM who stood out in the defence, preservation and development of Chinese education were Lim Fong Seng, Sim Mow Yu and Loot Ting Yee.
Lim Fong Seng retired in 1990 while Sim Mow Yu retired yesterday. Both had given the best part and the prime of their life to the cause of Chinese education. The same goes for Loot Ting Yee and it is not only sad but most shocking that due recognition has not been given for Loot Ting Yee’s equally great services, contributions and sacrifices for Chinese education.
The entire Chinese community should conduct a soul¬-searching exercise as to whether the result of the UCSTAM elections yesterday in rejecting Loot Ting Yee as the successor to Sim Mow Yu as UCSTAM President has done justice not only to Loot Ting Yee, but to the cause of Chinese education – whether of the past, present and the future.
MCA leaders may have reason to rejoice at the defeat of Loot Ting Yee as UCSTAM President. It is significant that that the ‘establishment’ New Sunday Times reported the UCSTAM elections under the banner: “MCA man heads teachers’ group”.
But I think the Chinese community as a whole would feel sad and shocked at the result of election for the post of UCSTAM President.- and is asking, “How can UCSTAM do such a thing to Loot Ting Yee!”