As Malaysians, we wish Michelle Yeoh CONGRATULATIONS for the Oscar Award. We are proud of you for bringing fame, glory and pride to the nation.
A playwright, actor and director, Kee Thuan Chye spoke his mind after Michelle Yeoh won the Oscar Awards, commenting: “I don't see why Malaysians are so ecstatic about Michelle Yeoh winning the Oscar.”
While we respect congratulatory messages, let’s see his side of the view politically if she backed the former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is now serving his jail sentence for corruption.
Kee also questioned her contribution to Malaysia. “Has she done anything for Malaysia? Has she even helped the Malaysian film industry in any way? Does she invest the millions she makes in Malaysian films? Not as far as I know,” on his Facebook posting.
Kee Thuan Chye, 69, 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. He has acted in hit movies such as Anna and the King, Entrapment and in over 50 stage plays and more than 20 movies while writing the scripts and directing some of them.
In 1981, Kee co-founded the theatre group, KAMI, in Kuala Lumpur. With his vast expertise and experience in Malaysian and Singapore theatre, again questioned: “What is so Malaysian about her? She went off to Hong Kong to start her acting career, then moved on to Hollywood. She presumably comes back to Malaysia for holidays.”
“Has she done anything for Malaysia? Has she even helped the Malaysian film industry in any way? Does she invest the millions she makes in Malaysian films? Not as far as I know. She got a few honourable titles from Sultans and the King, “Datuk to Datuk Seri to Tan Sri”. Was that just for achieving the honour then of being chosen as a James Bond girl and becoming successful in Hollywood?”
Touching on her political support for former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak who for the 1MDB fiasco and the plundering of state funds, Kee pointed out that Michelle’s partner, Jean Todt, reportedly got a piece of land on an island off Terengganu. He also got a staggering million-ringgit fee to be our tourism ambassador! That worked out to an annual fee of RM593,000 and another RM388,000 for his holidays in Malaysia.
“What on earth was that for? The Malaysian Government under Najib Razak then approved it. It would have to account for that. In 2013, Michelle Yeoh openly supported Najib for the upcoming general election. Is there a connection?”
Michelle then commented, “I hope from the bottom of my heart that he will remain the Prime Minister, and I ask all of you to give him a strong mandate.” But when she told her audience, "I am for Malaysia's best prime minister. So can you show me here your support for the prime minister?" She was instead greeted with jeers and boos.
“Truth be told, many people cringed at her support for Najib. His subsequent conviction for corruption and 12-year prison sentence vindicates that feeling,” Kee noted in his Facebook posting.
What did she mean by “Najib Razak "best" prime minister? Seriously?” Kee questioned.
In 2018, Malaysia’s leading cartoonist Zunar aptly said that from what Michelle Yeoh did, she was far worse than Najib's loyalists.
Kee explained: “Today, she won the Oscar. Good for her. In any case, she won it because of the right timing. Hollywood is celebrating diversity like nobody's business; this year seems to be the year of Asians. The Best Actress category this year was also relatively thin. Except for Cate Blanchett, the other actresses lack hype and clout -- although they do not lack talent. I thought Ana de Armas was very good in 'Blonde'.”
It's not always about talent as far as the Oscars are concerned anyway, Kee said. “Politics and the sentiment of the Academy members come into play as well. And that could be how although Michelle Yeoh has often been critiqued as a wooden and one-note actor, she got the prize.”
In concluding his Facebook posting, he asked: “Should Malaysians be jubilant over her victory? Did she credit Malaysia for it? I also ask again, what has she done for the country?”
The response from Facebook fans was both supportive and against the posting.
Freelance Writer M.Krishnamoorthy (www.imkrishna.net) is a journalist who worked and freelanced with Bernama, NST, The Star, and Malaysiakini. He also freelances as a fixer/coordinator for CNN, BBC, German and Australian Television networks and the New York Times. As an undercover journalist, he has highlighted society's concerns going undercover as a beggar, security guard, blind man, disabled salesman and Member of Parliament.
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