▁The ▁birth ▁of ▁Mal ay an ▁Chinese ▁Association ▁Tan ▁returned ▁to ▁Mal ac ca ▁after ▁the ▁Japanese ▁surrender ed . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁Tun ▁Tan ▁founded ▁the ▁Mal ay an ▁Chinese ▁Association ▁( M CA ) ▁alongside ▁Tun ▁Le ong ▁Y ew ▁Koh ▁() ▁and ▁Colonel ▁Lee ▁H au ▁Sh ik . ▁Although ▁he ▁was ▁ 6 6 ▁when ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁position , ▁Tun ▁Tan ▁was ▁regarded ▁as ▁the ▁only ▁man ▁able ▁to ▁bring ▁the ▁Mal ay an ▁Chinese ▁together ▁in ▁perhaps ▁their ▁most ▁trying ▁time . ▁ ▁The ▁post - war ▁years ▁and ▁the ▁Emer gency ▁was ▁a ▁difficult ▁and ▁dangerous ▁jun ct ure ▁for ▁the ▁community . ▁The ▁Chinese ▁were ▁deeply ▁divided ▁and ▁their ▁loyal ty ▁was ▁under ▁scr ut iny . ▁Among ▁the ▁Chinese , ▁only ▁Tan ▁had ▁the ▁stat ure ▁to ▁eng age ▁with ▁senior ▁Malays ▁such ▁as ▁Dat uk ▁On n ▁Ja af ar ▁and ▁Tun ku ▁Abd ul ▁Rah man ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁im min ent ▁constitution al ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁Str ong ly ▁anti - comm un ist , ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁trust ed ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁colonial ▁officials . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Mal ay ▁leaders ▁– ▁first ▁through ▁the ▁All - Mal aya ▁Council ▁of ▁J oint ▁Action , ▁which ▁he ▁cha ired , ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁Commun ities ▁L ia ison ▁Committee ▁head ed ▁by ▁D ato ' ▁Sir ▁E . ▁E . ▁C . ▁Th ur ais ingham ▁– ▁to ▁fight