The Sweet Rebel: Remembering Fan Yew Teng
By Tung Wan Qing
Before writing this article, I did not know Mr Fan in person or any of his works. I was not even born when he was charged under the infamous Sedition Act. His crime? He published a speech in the second issue of The Rocket in 1975 by the then-Penang DAP chairman, Dr Ooi Kee Saik, in which Dr Ooi welcomed Lim Kit Siang’s release from ISA.
But here I am, sitting in a room beside the DAP headquarters, writing an article for The Rocket in 2012, reading books and tributes about Fan’s life, his ideas, and his stories.
What makes a hero a hero? What makes a warrior a warrior? In films, we might be fascinated by Thor who can use his extraordinary power to protect the world, or Spiderman who has endless strength. But in reality, a hero in one’s heart is always a humble and simple man.
Heroes are often hopelessly idealistic, regardless of how many times have their ideas been demonized and flung aside. They are morally principled enough to strive their whole lives to uphold it, even at the cost of personal loss and sacrifice.
A few descriptions reoccur in “The Sweet Rebel: Remembering Fan Yew Teng”, a book edited by his twin daughter Pauline and Lilianne Fan, to commemorate the first anniversary of his passing. Fan was repeatedly described as the “Beacon of Light”, grassroot leader, principled, intellectual, daring, fearless, truly a simple man with a big heart.
Fan Yew Teng was a two-term Member of Parliament in Kampar and Menglembu, as well as Selangor assemblyman for Petaling Jaya. He was the editor of “The Educator”, the official organ of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), and later editor of The Rocket. He was also the co-organizer of the 1967 nationwide teachers' strike which demanded equal pay for female teachers, better housing and medical benefits, and pension after retirement for all teachers.
When Lim Kit Siang was detained under the Internal Security Act in 1969, Fan served as acting DAP Secretary-General, exercising the powers even before Lim, to keep the party from falling apart in the post-May 13 climate.
Fan later left DAP over differences in principle, yet he never turned his back on any injustice happening in Malaysia. He participated in a 1998 international forum against Lim Guan Eng’s unjust imprisonment.
When it came to race, Fan was truly “color blind”. He was amongst the first people to connect PAS to the Chinese community since the early eighties. He was also a well-known columnist in Harakah and Aliran.
Internationally, he founded Suaram and was concerned with many international issues, including the release of Aung San Suu Kyi. For him, human rights and the dignity of humanity cut across race and religion.
According to Petaling Jaya City Councillor Richard Yeoh, Fan’s victory over then Education Minister Dr. Mahathir in the Great Economic Debate at University Malaya in 1974, was probably the cause for Dr. Mahathir to withdraw universities’ autonomy with the amended University and University College Act (still in effect today).
Despite his huge achievements and contributions, one of the deepest impressions that Mr. Fan left to his beloved friends from all over the world, was his fondness for his typewriter, pipe and bicycle.
How could such a simple family man become a political target, be charged for an article he published in The Rocket, removed as the Member of Parliament and denied his parliamentary pension? I believe this was simply because Fan was true to himself.
Fan’s legacy was his big heart and his deep compassion to social justice. One does not have to know him in person to feel his passion and his ideas for a better Malaysia and a better world. This is what connected him and other giants like Lim Kit Siang, who have been and are still working selflessly for this cause.
Reading “The Sweet Rebel” made me feel how many lives that Fan impacted. I remembered Lim Kit Siang’s expression when he was sitting at the front row at the book launch of The Sweet Rebel: Remembering Fan Yew Teng. He was ever so calm and composed.
Lim looked at Fan’s face projected on the main screen backdrop, and he flipped through a copy of the book displayed on the table. He listened attentively when Pauline Fan and Ambiga gave their speeches; in the middle of the tribute he took out his glasses and wiped his eyes. In those 5 seconds as the camera focused on him, Lim raised his head up again as resolute as ever, with his glasses perched on his nose. That was the face of a man who lost a comrade and friend.
Fan may have felt that he had not done enough to make the world a better place. Even lying on the hospital bed, his concern was how to help others escape from suffering. Malaysia would not have come this far without the efforts and contributions by Fan and other first generation Malaysian rebels.
What makes a rebel a rebel? A strong, fearless, and principled soul. A great mind, great heart, great vision. As much as we mourn for his soul, Fan’s wishes for a better Malaysia are still valid today: “For how long more are Malaysians to live with fear and loathing? Afraid about the collapse of public safety even in broad daylight and disgusted by rising inflation and galloping corruption. How much longer? Surely it is in the hands of the Malaysian people themselves.” (in Harakah, December 2007).
I think that the best and only way to remember Fan Yew Teng, is to continue his mission to fulfil his dreams and ensure that the spirit of a Malaysian Malaysia lives on.
This article was published at The Rocket, August 2012
Genta Media's official website - Editorial Diary 03/03
No comments:
Post a Comment