▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 4 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁a ▁nominated ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁of ▁the ▁Stra its ▁S ett lement s . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁Tan ▁made ▁history ▁with ▁his ▁monument al ▁speech ▁of ▁ide als ▁of ▁a ▁territorial ly ▁and ▁polit ically ▁un ited ▁Mal aya ▁in ▁a ▁speech ▁to ▁the ▁council . ▁Like ▁many ▁Stra its - born ▁Chinese ▁of ▁his ▁time , ▁Tan ▁was ▁partial ▁towards ▁Britain ▁but ▁was ▁deeply ▁influenced ▁by ▁ideas ▁of ▁independence ▁which ▁were ▁swe eping ▁across ▁many ▁British ▁colon ies . ▁He ▁advoc ated ▁the ▁concept ▁of ▁a ▁" un ited ▁self - g over ning ▁British ▁Mal aya ". ▁From ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁an ▁uno fficial ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Stra its ▁S ett lement s ▁Executive ▁Council . ▁He ▁champion ed ▁social ▁causes ▁like ▁oppos ing ▁op ium ▁sm oking , ▁prom oting ▁Chinese ▁vern ac ular ▁education , ▁legisl ating ▁against ▁pol yg amy ▁and ▁pressing ▁for ▁imm igration ▁policy ▁reform . ▁During ▁the ▁Japanese ▁occupation ▁of ▁Mal aya , ▁Tan ▁and ▁his ▁family ▁lived ▁in ▁India ▁in ▁ex ile . ▁They ▁witness ed ▁the ▁strugg les ▁of ▁Mah at ma ▁Gand hi ▁and ▁P and it ▁J aw ah ar l al ▁Ne h ru ▁for ▁independence ▁during ▁their ▁stay ▁in ▁India , ▁and ▁inspired ▁them ▁to ▁do ▁the ▁same ▁for ▁their ▁mother land ▁Mal aya ▁when ▁they ▁returned . ▁