Kee Thuan Chye (born 25 May 1954) is a Malaysian actor, dramatist,
poet and journalist. Acting in theatre, films, and on television for
more than 40 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.Although social
reengineering under the New Economic Policy had already begun after
the 13 May Incident of 1969, it became more pronounced after Mahathir
bin Mohamad became Prime Minister in 1981. 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 an 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 2007, 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.
poet and journalist. Acting in theatre, films, and on television for
more than 40 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.Although social
reengineering under the New Economic Policy had already begun after
the 13 May Incident of 1969, it became more pronounced after Mahathir
bin Mohamad became Prime Minister in 1981. 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 an 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 2007, 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.
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