China Press 2023-08-07
By Yang Shanyong
[Translation from Chinese language article]
The
last time I participated in DAP propaganda was in 2008. I received
the Chinese translation of the Penang Declaration by email for
proofreading. For an entire afternoon, and word by word,
I tried my best to transform the idiomatic English into Chinese usage.
It was a year full of ideals. To
change dynasty, the squares were crowded with people, slogans were
raised one after another, and the crowd was passionate. Except that
what happened next was unsightly and hard to describe. In the
by-election of Tenang, Johor, I ran into Chong Eng, who came to support
the election, who complained and asked: Why are they targeting the Rockets
everywhere?
This was not a turnaround that can be explained in a
few words, so I could only laugh without answering.
What more to say - after
winning power overnight, many of my original friends became the core of
the ruling circle. And with less restraint, they turned bold,
arrogant, domineering in remarks, and reckless actions
emerged one after another.SurrenderingTeh Yee Cheu was
elected the state assemblyman of Tanjung Bungah at that time. The
seat left by former chief minister, Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, was originally an
impregnable fortress of Gerakan. But political tsunami hit; all unassailable fortresses were surrendering. Changing Penang had come true, but real reversal did not stop; that was not the last mile.
It so happened that Yee Cheu has always insisted
on the theme of environmental protection - and always playing for real. Come sun or rain, he cycles to declare his determination
to defend the ecology on both sides of Penang strait. To put an
end to individual high-rise developments, he even
threatened at a press conference to go on a hunger strike and to run naked.
Teh Yee Cheu is a son of simplicity, he doesn't scheme and only wants to speak
for the next generation of his country. Despite the red line ahead and landmines behind, he charged forward unarmoured. With such a posture, it was obvious that he was only pummeling himself with rocks. In 2017, I made fun of his ignorance of the vested interests in
my article entitled "Ignore Yee Cheu's view, landslides come to you."
Vote Yee Cheu To save Penang
"Inside Rockets, the situation is often like playing
chess with the emperor: first, you are not allowed to win, and second,
you can only accept defeat. Still, from the first move to the last, you must lose with great skills. Only in this way, the emperor will perceive your extraordinary chess skills, and at the same time be convinced that you are controllable, that the servant will not overwhelm
the lord.”
One can imagine how it will end. In short, it was
impossible, and Yee Cheu finally had to leave the party that ostracizes or "displaces" dissidents
(Displace Action Party), in order to make clear his own aspirations. As he quit the party,
he returned his party member card and party flag together.
Going Round and Round
Ideals seem to have been returned to sender too: environmental protection policies, reclamation projects, hillside development, endless cycles of flooding, planning standards, housing
price ceilings, traffic design, assembly hall law enforcement,
accommodation for foreign workers, and even local internal party
entanglement. It has always been like this, going round and round.
Now that Chong Eng is getting off the coach while voicing "the greatest regret," I think she finally understands that this party needs a
pair of eyes and a whip. At this juncture, to save Penang, one has to vote
for Yee Cheu; let him be elected and return to the state assembly as soon
as possible.
