Huang Chih Mei
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Growing up in Taiwan

12/3/2006

4 Comments

 
Picture
I left Taiwan for the US to study in the 1980s, when Taiwan was still under the rule of KMT's Chiang Ching-Kuo. I was not particularly concerned about politics, as Taiwan was a prosperous society and I didn't really experience any hardships during my growing up years.

When I went home for holidays in-between school terms, I noticed my younger brother's computer monitor was draped with all sorts of head bands he had collected from attending various public protests, be it for "amendment of the Constitutions", "calling for direct Presidential elections", or "anti-nulcear plants".

I was extremely uncomfortable seeing those colourful head bands and asked him, "Is it safe to go for those protests?" My brother laughed and said, "Time has changed! It's no big deal now."

I asked my brother how he got "involved" in politics, or at least how he started to get interested in it. He told me that he was "too free" during his NS days and was reading newspapers all the time. It happened to be the booming period of many independent newspapers in Taiwan after the amendment of Newspaper and Printing Presses Act.

In addition to head bands, my brother collected T-shirts worn during public protests. According to him, those T-shirts worn during the initial protests were collectors' items now because there were very few people who dared to participate. Protests were illegal then, much like it is now in 21st century Singapore. Subsequently, T-shirts from later day protests were less sought after as they were printed by the thousands.

It seemed that I had missed the whole transition of Taiwan's democratization process.

The present Singapore is the place many of my Taiwanese relatives praised as "very clean and orderly", whereas my husband is in jail for the 5th time for speaking in public without a permit.

Although Soon Juan's non-violent campaign has always been misinterpreted as "courting trouble", the purpose of his civil actions is to make a simple point that "if you are not prepared to go to jail, how do you stage a public protest when one day, there is a need to do that in order to put pressure on the government to change laws that actually work against the people".

Many Singaporeans have expressed their amazement to me about how we cope with such kind of circumstances. Actually, the political struggle we are in does not prevent us from leading as normal lives as any other family. Our kids know that this is part of their father's work, it's nothing frightening at all. Earlier this year, when my eldest daughter told her teacher that "my father is in jail", her teacher was rather embarrassed. She told her quietly that "you don't have to tell me everything, I will read the newspapers myself".

After Soon Juan's passport was taken away and he was prevented from leaving Singapore, I told my parents that he probably won't be able to visit them in Taiwan for the rest of his life. Surprisingly, my mother said, "Don't worry. It won't be a permanent situation. No authoritarian government is going to last forever."

I certainly hope she is right.

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With my parents in Singapore, 1991.
4 Comments
Tom Cheong
8/26/2015 05:13:26 am

Dr Chee is indeed so blessed to have you at all times during his ups and downs while doing his part for ordinary citizens.

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Josiah Heng
8/27/2015 07:07:33 pm

Dr Chee is an inspiration to all of us who are tired of an oppressive government that surpresses freedom of speech. A government that cares not for the people but exists only to serve it's own selfish agendas, goals and self-profit at the expense of the citizens suffering. We are proud of Dr Chee and we are sick of the PAP criminalizing him. This GE we will vote out the real criminals. The ones who have perpetuated schemes to withold our money in the CPF, the criminals who sort to redraw election boundaries to tip the scales of political balance in their favor so they can continue with their tyrannical, despotic grip on power. We will vote them out.

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Chua
9/1/2015 06:50:04 pm

Dear Dr Huang,

You have displayed the true essence of marriage. And what it means to support your husband and to look after your children. You are a woman of courage and wisdom. I respect ur determination, love for ur husband and children. I wish you all the best for your future endeavours.

Chua

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Choo Hong Peng
9/6/2015 03:29:29 am

天将降大任于斯人。必先苦其心智,劳其筋骨,饿其体肤,空泛其身,行浮乱其所为。增益其所不能

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    Dr. Huang Chih Mei is the mother of 3 lovely children and the wife of Dr. Chee Soon Juan

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