The very boldly outspoken and patriotic Malaysian
Kee Thuan Chye aged 61 is a Malaysian actor, dramatist, poet and journalist.
Acting in theatre, films, and on television for more than 30 years, he
continues to do so. In 1981, Kee co-founded the theatre group, KAMI, in Kuala Lumpur.
A noted civil rights activist, he would express in his plays whatever he could
not express through the newspapers under Malaysia's
repressive Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA).
For speaking out without fear or favour, Kee was among the first
recipients of The Annexe Heroes Freedom of Expression Awards when it was
launched in 2008. In 2010, he was also voted the 34th Most Trusted Malaysian in
a poll conducted by Reader's Digest.
At the New Straits Times, Kee Thuan Chye received numerous memos
from his editor-in-chief for trying to push the parameters and opening up
public discourse on what was deemed 'sensitive' issues. Firmly believing that
the responsibility of a journalist to the public is to inform them of the
truth, he had to battle with his superiors and as a consequence, he was often
punished, marginalised, and shut out. In
1988, Kee received his master's degree in drama from the University of Essex, after being awarded a British Council Fellowship for postgraduate studies in England.
In 2001, Kee Thuan Chye became the
Associate Editor of The Star in Kuala Lumpur,
creating and editing the English column, Mind Our English, until retirement in May 2009. His Sunday Star column, Playing the Fool, which he began
in April 2001, ran for only two instalments before it was cancelled. In his
inaugural article, Kee had written that he would be speaking out frankly on
social and political issues, without fear or favour. His second article,
hitting out at racial discrimination in Malaysia,
was published but when it came to his third article, the editors got jittery
and suppressed it. The Star finally decided to terminate the column after Kee
submitted his fourth article.
Books
Authored:
·
Ask for No Bullshit,
Get Some More! 2013
·
No More Bullshit,
Please, We're All Malaysians, 2012
·
8 March: Time for Real
Change, 2010
·
8 March: The Day
Malaysia Woke Up, 2008
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