Kee Thuan Chye

Kee Thuan Chye's political awakening began when he could not afford to pursue his master's degree unless he had a tutor's position.[2] He applied for the post at Universiti Sains Malaysia, his alma mater, and although he was the top student in his class, the job was given to someone else.[2] Kee then joined the now-defunct National Echo as literary editor where he created the page Culture Scene and wrote editorials on political and other issues. Moving from Penang to Kuala Lumpur to join the New Straits Times in the late 1970s, he saw more clearly how race had been politicised to divide the people. Mahathir Mohamad who had become the Prime Minister in 1981 was becoming increasingly dictatorial and would tolerate no criticism of him and his government in the media.

What Kee Thuan Chye could not express through the newspaper, he eventually expressed in his plays. 1984 Here and Now which spoke out frankly against Big Brother and institutionalised racial discrimination, played to full houses in 1985,[2] followed, amongst others, by The Big Purge which brazenly satirises Mahathir and Operation Lalang.

In the aftermath of the 2008 general elections, Kee Thuan Chye rushed out his book March 8: The Day Malaysia Woke Up in a record three months, due to the topicality of the subject matter. This was followed by March 8: Time for Real Change in 2010.

Between 2008 and 2018, Kee wrote a total of 10 books about the Malaysian political scene, as part of his attempts to create awareness among Malaysians of the need for political change and a better Malaysia.

He finally realised the fruits of his struggle at Malaysia’s 14th general election on May 9, 2018, when the seemingly invincible incumbent coalition, Barisan Nasional, was voted out after having held power for 61 years. It was a historic phenomenon that few people expected. But it happened largely because of the efforts put in by Malaysians who wanted change and worked hard to make it come about.

To commemorate this historic event and also pay tribute to the efforts of everyday Malaysians who had endured the oppressive rule of Barisan Nasional for many years and struggled to kick it out, Kee threw himself into writing a thoroughly researched book that captures the drama of their struggle starting from the time of the 13th general election and building up to the climax of the 14th general election. From despair to hope to euphoria.

Entitled The People’s Victory, it is a narrative full of intrigue, dramatic twists and turns, and guts, sweat and tears. It is also an important document, and a labour of love undertaken by Kee for his country.

• 2009: Writing storylines for Auntie English, produced by Astro
• 2004: Co-writing the script for one episode of Singapore Shakes! with Remesh Panicker, followed by another episode, singly
• 1998–1999: Writing storylines for the 150-episode Idaman II
• 1997-1998: Writing storylines for the 150-episode Idaman

• The People's Victory (Marshall Cavendish, 2019)
• Swordfish + Concubine, play-text (Gerakbudaya, 2018)
• You Want This GOONvernment Ah? (Gerakbudaya, 2018)
• Unbelievably Stupid Too! (Gerakbudaya, 2015)
• Unbelievably Stupid! (Gerakbudaya, 2015)
• Can We Save Malaysia, Please! (Marshall Cavendish, 2014)
• We Could **** You, Mr Birch, 20th anniversary republication (Gerakbudaya, 2014)
• The Elections Bullshit (Strategic Information and Research Development Centre, 2013)
• Ask for No Bullshit, Get Some More! (Strategic Information and Research Development Centre, 2013)
• No More Bullshit, Please, We're All Malaysians (Marshall Cavendish, 2012)
• March 8: Time for Real Change (Marshall Cavendish, 2010)
• March 8: The Day Malaysia Woke Up (Marshall Cavendish, 2008)
• 1984 Here and Now, play-text and introduction by Helen Gilbert (Marshall Cavendish, 2004)
• The Big Purge, play-text and introduction by Shirley Geok-lin Lim (Marshall Cavendish, 2004)
• We Could **** You, Mr Birch, play-text and introduction by Robert Yeo (Marshall Cavendish, 2004)
• We Could **** You, Mr Birch, play-text and introduction by Robert Yeo (self-published, 1995; reprinted, 1995, 1996, 1998, and 2000)
• We Could **** You, Mr Birch, play-text and theatre programme (self-published, 1994)
• Just In So Many Words, collection of selected writings in the press (Heinemann, 1992; reprinted, 1993)
• Haunting the Tiger and Other Stories, edited (Berita Publishing, 1991)
• Old Doctors Never Fade Away, a biography (Teks Publishing, 1988)
• 1984 Here and Now, play text and post-performance reviews (K. Das Ink, 1987)

• Extract from play We Could **** You, Mr Birch included in An Anthology of English Writing from Southeast Asia edited by Rajeev S. Patke, Isabella Banzon, Philip Holden and Lily Rose Tope (National Library Board, Singapore, 2012)
• 'The Boy who Saved Singapura' in the anthology Malaysian Tales Retold and Remixed (ZI Publications, 2011)
• 'Just Another Empty Slogan?', an essay in the book No Honeymoon: Najib's First 100 Days (Gerakbudaya Enterprise, 2009)
• Ideals and Principles, a 10-minute play, in 10 X 10: 100 Minutes to Change the World (Kakiseni, 2008)
• 'Towards the Impossible Dream', an essay in the book Tipping Points (The Edge, 2008)
• Poems, extract from A Sense of Home, and play script of We Could *** You, Mr Birch included in anthology Petals of Hibiscus edited by Mohammad Quayum (Pearson Books, 2003)
• Another extract from A Sense of Home included in the anthology The Merlion and the Hibiscus (Penguin, 2002)
• Extract from screenplay A Long Way from Hollywood included in Silverfish New Writing 2 edited by Satendra Nandan (Silverfishbooks, 2002)
• 1984 Here and Now included in Postcolonial Plays - An Anthology edited by Helen Gilbert (Routledge, UK, 2001)
• Extract from a novel in progress entitled A Sense of Home included in the anthology New Writing 10, edited by Penelope Lively and George Szirtes (Picador, UK, 2001)
• Poems included in bilingual anthology of Malaysian poetry Suara Rasa (Maybank, 1993)
• Several poems included in bilingual Anthology of Malaysian Poetry/Antologi Puisi Pelbagai Kaum edited by K.S. Maniam and M.Shanmughalingam (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1988)
• Numerous poems published in Malaysian newspapers and journals Masakini and Southeast Asian Review of English, and in magazines and journals abroad - Asiaweek (Hong Kong), Focus, Sands and Coral, Solidarity, Ideya (Philippines), Pacific Quarterly Moana (New Zealand), Ariel (Canada), Kunapipi (Australia).
• Numerous radio plays broadcast over Radio Malaysia.