Early Life
Roger Tan is the sixth child and youngest son of Tan Sue Yong and Swee Mei. Sue Yong was born to a wealthy family in China sharing the same lineage of the famous Chinese poet in the Qing Dynasty, Zheng Banqiao. But like all the other first generation immigrants to Malaya, Sue Yong had to toil and sweat as a labourer.
Born and brought up in Yong Peng new village, Roger's family lived in poverty when he was young. As a little boy, Roger had to rise up early to tap rubber trees before getting ready for school. Food then was often rice or porridge with soya sauce or one or two small slices of preserved bean curds.
He had his primary and secondary school education in his hometown. At Sekolah Menegah Inggeris (Secondary English School), he was also the head prefect of the school in 1978. He was baptised in 1988 at Yishun Lutheran Church, Singapore.
On 23 May 2000, his father, Sue Yong went missing after taking a walk. The family's attempts in locating their father have touched the hearts of many Malaysians.
Read more about this topic: Roger Tan Kor Mee
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