Thread by @limweijiet

Have spent d last few days on "Dialog: Thoughts on Tunku's Timeless Thinking".

What a remarkable & visually stunning memoir of Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Here are 10 insightful nuggets of wisdom from d book.

Hopefully it will spread some positivity in this trying times for 🇲🇾.

1. When Tunku was a law student in Cambridge, he was notorious for his motor misadventures. He frequently sped through campus in his Riley sports car.

The University had to appoint a "Motor Proctor". That office, created specifically due to Tunku, still exists until today.

2. Tunku was denied a place in College in Cambridge.

The College Head said to him: "This college was built for Englishmen, and I cannot let you in. If I gave you a room to the exclusion of Englishmen, they would not like it"

That sparked the fire of independence within Tunku.

3. During the Federation of Malaya talks, Tunku cooked curry with d help of his Ministers. Lee Kuan Yew was seen chopping onions.

Tunku was not happy with & complained loudly on d selection of spices - Kuan Yew had to come to d rescue by obtaining more spices from Tuanku Ja'afar

4. £50,000 prize money was offered to compose Malaya's national anthem.

D world's leading composers' entries didn't impressed Tunku. They all sounded like going to war. Tunku wanted a love song.

In d end, he composed d lyrics of Negaraku himself based on d song "Terang Bulan".

5. When Tunku appointed the first women Senators in Dewan Negara, he was told he shouldn't do it because even in UK women couldn't be members of the upper houses of Parliament (House of Lords).

"Well, that is their country", Tunku replied. "We'll do things our way here".

6. After stepping down, Tunku was late to a meeting one day. His second-hand car had broken down.

Tengku Razaleigh, then MOF, said he was entitled to a new car as an ex-PM.

Tunku replied: "No, it still moves - off and on. Let's not waste public money".

7. Even as a young boy, Tunku never allowed people to kiss his hands, a common gesture of respect. It was believed he disliked the sycophancy.

Tunku was a firm believer in meritocracy and was not concerned of colour or creed.

8. "If you are rich, there are many people richer than you. If you think you are clever, there are people cleverer than you.

But if you think you are honest, you are among the few, and in this instance, it is best to be among the few"

- Tunku

This broke my heart. 💔

9. "I venture to prophecy that in not very many years from now, we shall hear far less about being Malay or Chinese or Indian, and far more about being Malaysian"

- Tunku

We're sorry to have failed you, Tunku. This vision seems far more distant today than many decades ago.

10. At age 87, wheelchair-bound, Tunku ignored doctor’s orders to lay d foundation stone on d Sarawak Warriors Monument.

Tunku who was not scheduled to speak, but insisted and called on Malaysians to unite, tears running down his cheeks.

He ended by raising his arm and shouting “Merdeka” 3 times.

As he boarded a plane to return, he said "Now I can leave this world.”

He died 6 days later.