By Dr Andre Ratos

There was a time when, as a little boy, whenever I walked into my father’s office, I would always see a picture on the opposite wall of the door I came in through.

It was of a slender Chinese man being hugged by a distressed Indian man, with his wife clearly looking forlorn. On the Chinese man’s face was a look of reciprocating sadness.
The poignant photo, etched forever, and its manifesting memory serving as an essential tenet: that beyond colour, religion, or creed, human compassion endures.
It is gestures like these that transcend our human needs to make boundaries of society expand.

Consistency, courage, and unwavering commitment

There are individuals whose contributions to society cannot be measured by titles or positions alone. Their true legacy lies in consistency, courage, and an unwavering commitment to the public good. Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye is one such individual.

For my family, Lee is not only a respected national figure, but a long-standing friend and collaborator.

He worked closely with my late father, Datuk Antony Ratos, over many years on community initiatives that focused on safety, inclusion, and the dignity of those often overlooked. What bound them together was a shared belief: that a nation is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable communities.

Another memory that remains especially meaningful dates back to 1987, during the PATA Fair at the Shangri-La Hotel.

My father built a full Orang Asli longhouse for the exhibition, working with the Jahut community from Jerantut to bring indigenous culture into an international space.
When the exhibition ended, he refused to discard the structure. Instead, the longhouse was rebuilt and repurposed in Pudu, where it first became a shelter for fire victims – transforming a cultural exhibit into a place of refuge and service.

It was from this same space that Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye later stood to champion the needs of minority and marginalised communities.

Compassion, advocacy, and unity

That longhouse became more than bamboo and structure – it became a symbol of compassion, advocacy, and unity that Lee endeavoured for.

It reflected what both men believed deeply: that culture, service, and social responsibility are inseparable.

Throughout his public life, Lee has demonstrated rare moral consistency. Whether advocating for safety and health, or community welfare, he has always spoken with clarity, restraint, and principle. He does not seek attention, yet his voice carries weight because it is trusted.

Today, even after the rigours of life, Lee stood firm with us to continue the work of Yayasan Kesenian Orang Asli & Asal.

At the event, Irama Asal Dan Asli, it was fitting that Lee stood with us – welcomed by leaders of both the Orang Asli and Orang Asal communities.

His presence symbolises something deeply important: unity without patronage, leadership without ego, and service without condition. His speech depicted the strength of Malaysia through unity in diversity. His voice once again touched me as the photo in my father’s office did.

On behalf of my family, and in gratitude for a lifetime of public service, I offer this tribute to Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye – a man whose legacy is not only written in history, but felt in the lives of the many he touched and the communities he has consistently stood beside.

-- BERNAMA

Dr Andre Ratos is Chairman of the Foundation for the Indigenous Arts.