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Showing posts with label Khoo Salma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Khoo Salma. Show all posts

Thursday, 13 March 2025

Inspired to serve by the legacy of Sun Yat Sen, who shaped modern China

 

Shining Sun: Honouring Dr Sun at the 100th anniversary of his demise at the Sun Yat Sen Museum in George Town, Penang. (Below) Dr Yee sharing some of the stories he was told while growing up about Dr Sun, at the Sun Yat Sen Museum. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star


GEORGE TOWN: They are both medical doctors who share the same birthday on Nov 12.

And just like Father of Modern China the late Dr Sun Yat Sen, octogenarian Datuk Seri Dr Yee Thiam Sun had embarked on a path dedicating his life to serving the people.

At 81, Dr Yee continues to work from his clinic in Lebuh Carnavon treating patients and offering consultations at a discounted rate.

The buck does not stop there as the calm and humble Dr Yee also wears many other hats being a Scout leader, JCI (Junior Chamber International) leader, St John Ambulance of Malaysia, Penang commander, UN Youth leader, senior logistician who has been actively involved in humanitarian logistics movements, holding the title of Fellow of LogM (FLogM/Senior Logistician) and the position of honorary president of LogM.

He has also been mentoring and providing opportunities to leaders, especially young ones, through his involvement with Scouts, St John, JCI, SMJKs, SJKCs, and other organisations.

Dr Yee was a King’s Scout (1961) and has received many awards from various organisations, including the government, Scouts and St John.

Datuk Seri Dr Yee Thiam Sun sharing the stories he was told growing up about Dr Sun Yat Sen, during the gathering of the 100th anniversary of his demise at the Sun Yat Sen Museum in George Town, Penang. (March 8, 2025) — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star.Datuk Seri Dr Yee Thiam Sun sharing the stories he was told growing up about Dr Sun Yat Sen, during the gathering of the 100th anniversary of his demise at the Sun Yat Sen Museum in George Town, Penang. (March 8, 2025) — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star.

The Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang had also conferred him the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (DGPN), which carries the title Datuk Seri.

Dr Yee recalled that his late grandfather had served as the Chinese political and revolutionary leader’s secretary while Dr Sun was in Penang.

“While growing up, my mother, whose birthday also fell on the same day as mine and Dr Sun’s, used to tell me about how Dr Sun had dedicated his life to serving and helping the people.

“Her stories had left a lasting impression on me and I too wanted to serve the people in some way or another.

“I adopted Dr Sun’s motto to serve the people by running a clinic and charging less so that people do not feel the pinch.

“To be able to do this, I decided to work on my own because if I worked for others, I would not be able to charge less,” he said when met at the memorial event held at the Sun Yat Sen Museum Penang in Armenian Street to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passing of Dr Sun.

Dr Yee also said that his maternal grandfather was an active supporter and spent most of his money on Dr Sun’s movement.

“My grandfather was a writer, and so he wrote for Dr Sun too,” he said.

Dr Yee added that despite his age, he wants to continue working to serve, just like his Dr Sun.

Businessman Dr Lawrence Khoo, in his 50s, said his grandfather was an ardent supporter of Dr Sun and had offered assistance in many ways.

“Dr Sun believed in education being of utmost importance and my grandfather as his supporter, started the Chung Ling High School and Penang Chinese Girls’ High School as well as Kwong Wah Yit Poh (a Chinese-language newspaper) here in Penang.

“We still follow his ideology that education is important and that women must be treated as equals.

“This has influenced me and I believe that we all need education and to be treated equally regardless of gender,” he said.

During the gathering, museum custodian Khoo Salma shared that a short video about how the Chinese community from other countries remember Dr Sun will be released on March 12, the actual death anniversary.

“Dr Sun was the towering figure of his time and the first provisional president of the China republic.

“He was a man with a vision who never gave up,” she said.

At the museum, Khoo said they share his (Dr Sun’s) story daily with visitors.

“This keeps his story alive.”

Born in 1866 in Guangdong province in China, Dr Sun studied medicine in Hong Kong and became a doctor.

He started his revolutionary career in 1894 and staged his first uprising in China a year later after forming Xing Zhong Hui in Honolulu.

He travelled around the world in search of support and came to Penang five times from 1906 to 1912.

Often called the “Father of Modern China”, Dr Sun played a key role in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty in 1911.

He was the first provisional president when the Republic of China was established in 1912.

He passed away on March 12, 1925, after battling cancer.

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Sun Yat-sen at 100: The revolutionary who shaped modern China

Wednesday, March 12, marks 100 years since the death of Chinese revolutionary and politician Sun Yat-sen, the “Father of the Nation.”

Sun was a Chinese revolutionary leader and political philosopher, often referred to as the "Father of Modern China" for his pivotal role in overthrowing the Qing dynasty and establishing the Republic of China. Born on November 12, 1866, in Cuiheng Village, Guangdong Province, Sun received a Western-style education in Hawaii and later studied medicine in Hong Kong. His exposure to Western ideas and the decline of the Qing dynasty fueled his determination to reform China.

Sun founded the Revive China Society in 1894, advocating for the overthrow of the Qing and the establishment of a modern republic. His revolutionary efforts culminated in the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, which ended over 2,000 years of imperial rule. On January 1, 1912, Sun was inaugurated as the provisional president of the Republic of China, though he soon stepped aside to promote unity.


Sun's political philosophy, the Three Principles of the People (nationalism, democracy, and people's livelihood), became the foundation of Chinese governance. Despite facing numerous challenges, including warlordism and foreign intervention, Sun remained committed to unifying China and modernizing its society. He reorganized the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, or KMT) and formed alliances with the Communist Party of China to strengthen the revolutionary movement.

Sun passed away on March 12, 1925, in Beijing, leaving behind a legacy of revolution and reform. His ideas continue to influence both Taiwan and mainland China, where he is revered as a unifying figure.

Sun Yat-sen expressed his support for Zionism in a letter sent to N.E.B. Ezra, 24 April 1920. (credit: Abraham Schwadron Autograph Collection/National Library of Israel)Enlrage image
Sun Yat-sen expressed his support for Zionism in a letter sent to N.E.B. Ezra, 24 April 1920. (credit: Abraham Schwadron Autograph Collection/National Library of Israel)

The Zionism letter

There was also a fascinating discovery back in 2021, when a letter written by Sun to a Shanghai Jew expressed support for the Zionist cause.

In the letter, dated April 24, 1920, Sun voiced his enthusiastic backing for Zionism, describing it as “one of the greatest  movements of the present time.” 


"[I] wish to assure you of my sympathy for this movement – which is one of the greatest movements of the present time," Yat-sen's letters reads. "All lovers of Democracy cannot help but support whole-heartedly and welcome with enthusiasm the movement to restore your wonderful and historic nation, which has contributed so much to the civilization of the world and which rightfully deserve [sic] an honorable place in the family of nations."

It was addressed to N.E.B. Ezra, a prominent writer, publisher, and the founder of the Shanghai Zionist Association. 

Sun is celebrated for his role in shaping modern Chinese history, and while his endorsement of Zionism has long been documented and the contents of the letter were previously known, the original signed copy has only recently been rediscovered, more than a century after it was written.


nternal records from the National Library indicate that the letter was in its collection since at least 1938, though it was never publicly cataloged or accessible to researchers until now. The exact path by which the letter arrived at the library remains unclear. 

“N.E.B. Ezra passed away in 1936. The letter’s arrival by 1938 suggests that Ezra himself may have donated it, or someone else sent it to the library after recognizing its historical importance,” National Library archivist Rachel Misrati stated at the time.

Sun and other Chinese leaders maintained warm relations with Jewish communities and figures, both locally and internationally. Many of these connections were forged during Sun’s years of exile before the Qing dynasty’s fall. A notable example is Morris “Two-Gun” Cohen, a Polish-born Jewish bodyguard and advisor to Sun, who was also a staunch Zionist.


Sun’s support for Zionism was not unique among national leaders of the time. Many prominent political figures expressed similar sentiments, driven by both ideological alignment and practical considerations - in 1946, Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh spent several days staying in the same hotel as David Ben-Gurion in Paris, where the two would often visit each other.

Legacy

Sun Yat-sen is still widely revered in Taiwan as the founding father of the Republic of China (ROC), though his legacy has evolved over time. His status remains prominent in official state narratives, but the way he is perceived has changed, particularly as Taiwanese identity has developed over the years. 

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of the mainland has also claimed Sun Yat-sen as part of its own revolutionary lineage, portraying him as an early forerunner of communism who opposed imperialism and laid the groundwork for modern China.

Wednesday, 1 November 2017

Call to reassess Penang hillside projects, councillor addresses full council meeting of MBPP

Council should not bow to development or political pressure, says city councilor, Khoo

‘Politicians should be ‘wakil rakyat’ and not ‘wakil pemaju’ - CAP legal advisor Meenakshi


 
A city councillor has called for the Penang Island City Council to impose a moratorium and reassess all development projects involving hill slopes in the wake of the deadly landslide on Oct 21.

THE Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has been urged to impose a moratorium on hill developments and reassess every hillside and hill slope development projects.

Khoo Salma Nasution said as a new councillor, she was surprised to learn that certain policies and guidelines were made at state level and then passed down to the council without discussion.

“As a body with the expertise and technical experience to handle physical development planning, the council should ensure its own rules are not compromised and should not bow to development pressure or political pressure just because Penang is a land-scarce state.

“The council is tasked with spearheading the city’s physical development according to the Town and Country Planning Act and the State Structure Plan 2020.

“The rules and guidelines must follow the Penang Structure Plan as well as minimum safety and environmental guidelines,” she said in her adjournment speech during the full council meeting at the City Hall yesterday.

Khoo urged the council to reaffirm all policies, processes, and guidelines to protect the hills.

“New planning rules for development projects, taking into account the public interest, environmental interest and the interest of affected stakeholders and neighbourhoods, need to be introduced as well,” she said.

Khoo said according to the State Structure Plan valid until 2020, development density was set at 15 housing units per acre (0.4ha) in a secondary corridor like Tanjung Bungah.

She said 30 units were allowed per acre in a primary corridor and 87 units per acre for transit-oriented development.

“The state government, however, has already raised the development density to 128 units per acre overall.

“When development is not planned according to the right principles, disaster is likely to happen,” she said.

MBPP mayor Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif declined to comment as she had just received a copy of Khoo’s speech.

“I will definitely discuss the matter at the next full council meeting,” she said.

Source: The Star by N. Trisha

Related Links: 

 Penang Forum-nominated councillor addresses full council meeting of MBPP


This is Khoo Salma's full address (the Malay version below) yesterday: I was nominated by Penang Forum to be the representative and the voice of NGOs, including Penang Hills Watch, in the Penang Island City Council from early this year. My predecessor Dr Lim Mah Hui served with the council for six years.





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Saturday, 7 January 2017

Councillors ready to serve Penangites to make a difference?

THE Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and the Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) see 10 new faces among the list of councillors who sworn in Jan 5 and 6 for the 2017 term.

State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the lineup for the 24 MBPP and 23 MPSP councillors is effective Jan 1 till Dec 31.

The new faces appointed as councillors (from left) Tan, Shahrudin, Seow, Loh, Khoo Salma, Noor Syazwani, Shung and Woo at a press conference in Komtar.

He said three of the five new faces in MBPP are from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), namely writer Khoo Salma Nasution, 53, (Penang Forum), insurance and corporate risk consultant Shung Yin Ni, 31, (Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce) and marketing officer Noor Syazwani Md Amin, 30, (Persatuan Peniaga Melayu Pasar Malam Pulau Pinang).

The other two are senior marketing manager Tan Chiew Choon, 45, and businessman Shahrudin Mohamed Sahriff, 47, both from PKR.

Chiew Choon had served as a councillor before with the MBPP between 2013 and 2015. He was not retained the following term.

The five replace Eric Lim Seng Keat (NGO), Dr Lim Mah Hui (NGO), Mohamed Yusoff Mohamed Noor (NGO), Felix Ooi Keat Hin (PKR) and Shahul Hameed M. K. Mohamed Ishack (PKR).

The 19 councillors who were retained are Goh Choon Keong, Gooi Seong Kin, Grace Teoh Koon Gee, Harvindar Singh, Joseph Ng Soon Siang, D. R. Kala, Chris Lee Chun Kit, Ong Ah Teong, Syerleena Abdul Rashid, Wong Yuee Harng, J. Francis, Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, Nur Zarina Zakaria, A. Kumaresan, Ahmad Razaaim Azimi, Ahmad Azrizal Tahir, Mhd Nasir Yahya, Saiful Azwan Abd Malik and Gan Ay Ling.

MPSP also has five new faces including lawyer Thomas Loh Wei Pheng, 33, (DAP), special officer Woo Sze Zeng, 34, (DAP), company director Dr Seow Kweng Tian, 37, (PKR), entrepreneur Fadzil Abdullah, 60, (Amanah) and clerk Hamizah Abdul Manab, 26, (NGO).

They replace Siti Nur Shazreen Mohd Jilani (DAP), Tan Chong Hee (DAP), Goh Choon Aik (PKR), Alias Wan Chek (PKR), Mohd Suzuki Ahmad (Amanah) and Ahmad Tarmizi Abdullah (NGO), whose terms were not extended.

Chow said one more vacancy in the lineup for MPSP will be decided in the next state exco meeting.

The other 18 MPSP councillors are P. David Marshel, Heng Yeh Shiuan, H’ng Mooi Lye, K. Kumar, Mohamad Shaipol Ismail, M. Satees, Tan Chee Teong, Tan Cheong Heng, Zulkifli Ibrahim, Mohd Sharmizan Mohamad Nor, Zaini Awang, Ong Jing Cheng, Anuar Yussoff, Dr Amar Pritpal Abdullah, Shuhada Abdul Rahim, Zulkiply Ishak, Dr Tiun Ling Ta and Wong Chee Keet.

Shung, who is from a corporate background, said she hoped to assist in providing a better environment for business undertakings in Penang.

Shahrudin said the appointment would encourage him to step up efforts to serve the people better.

The Jelutong PKR branch deputy chief said he hoped to take on his role as a councillor more efficiently through various state initiatives and policies.

Dr Seow hopes to resolve issues related to public transportation and community welfare.

He said that he hoped to resolve traffic congestion, plant more trees and maintain cleanliness.

“I hope to be able to introduce more community-based activities as a councillor,” said Dr Seow, who is a PhD holder.

Speaking at a press conference in Komtar yesterday, Chow said the allowances for the councillors would remain at RM2,500 each.

“They are also eligible for allowances for attending meetings up to RM1,200, which is about RM100 for every meeting they attend. There is also a RM300 mobile phone allowance,” he added.

Also present was Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

By Chong Kah Yuan Intan Amalina The Star/ANN

Newly sworn-in MBPP councillors ready to make a difference

(From left) Tan, Noor Syazwani, Shung, Salma and Shahrudin posing for a photo after the swearing-in ceremony at the City Hall in George Town, Penang.

MARKETING officer Noor Syazwani Md Amin is eagerly waiting to serve the people as one of Penang Island City Council’s (MBPP) five new councillors.

The 30-year-old, who is with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) Penggerak Komuniti Muda Pulau Pinang (Peka), said one of the issues close to her heart is the flood woes in the state.

“I live in the flood-prone Jalan P. Ramlee, so I definitely hope it’s one of the issues that can be solved for the sake of the people.

“There will be the flood mitigation projects which are going to be carried out. So, hopefully I can make use of that for the community, especially those staying in Sungai Pinang, Jelutong and Jalan P. Ramlee,” she said when met after the MBPP councillors’ swearing-in ceremony for the 2017 term at the City Hall in George Town, Penang, yesterday.

Noor Syazwani said her priority is always about placing the people first.

“Helping people excites me.

“Hopefully, I can give my best because I’m still new,” she added.

She is among 24 MBPP councillors, who took their oath at the City Hall yesterday.

Three of the five new faces are from NGOs. They are writer Khoo Salma Nasution, 53, (Penang Forum), insurance and corporate risk consultant Shung Yin Ni, 31, (Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce) and Noor Syazwani.

The other two are senior marketing manager Tan Chiew Choon, 45, and businessman Shahrudin Mohamed Shariff, 47, both from PKR.

Meanwhile, Shung said she hoped to enhance conduciveness of Penang as an excellent business centre with her appointment in the MBPP.

“This is so that when the economy blooms, everyone gets to benefit from it.

“I would also like to emphasise on sustainable development, which does not only mean taking care of the environment but also the needs of the people. Therefore, I hope to find a balance,” she added.

The five replace Eric Lim Seng Keat (NGO), Dr Lim Mah Hui (NGO), Mohamed Yusoff Mohamed Noor (NGO), Felix Ooi Keat Hin (PKR) and Shahul Hameed M.K. Mohamed Ishack (PKR).

The 19 councillors retained are Goh Choon Keong, Gooi Seong Kin, Grace Teoh Koon Gee, Harvindar Singh, Joseph Ng Soon Siang, D.R. Kala, Chris Lee Chun Kit, Ong Ah Teong, Syerleena Abdul Rashid, Wong Yuee Harng, J. Francis, Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, Nur Zarina Zakaria, A. Kumaresan, Ahmad Razaaim Azimi, Ahmad Azrizal Tahir, Mhd Nasir Yahya, Saiful Azwan Abd Malik and Gan Ay Ling.

The new MBPP lineup comprises 10 from DAP, eight from PKR, two from Amanah and four from NGOs.

The tenure for the councillors is from Jan 1 until Dec 31.

In her speech, MBPP mayor Datuk Patahiyah Ismail congratulated all the appointed councillors.

State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the role of a councillor is very extensive.

“Apart from representing the general public and local community, a member of the council is also an intermediate between the community and local authority,” he said in his speech.

Chow also congratulated the council on its success in getting various awards and victories at state, national and international levels.

The achievements include being the Earth City Hour Challenge 2016 finalist.

MBPP also received the Tourism Promotion Organisation for Asia Pacific (TPO) Tourism Industry Leader Award in Tourism Promotion for Asia Pacific Forum 2016.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was also present, said MBPP’s success not only depended solely on a credible and effective management, but also the support, commitment and team work from all councillors, officers and staff.

He said MBPP practised prudent spending and governance based on the principles of CAT (competency, accountability and transparency) that successfully recorded an excellent financial performance with budget surplus in the financial statements for three consecutive years, which is RM47.57mil for 2013, RM177.95mil for 2014 and RM146.04mil for 2015.

“The success of the council in maintaining good financial performance enables efforts to improve the provision of public facilities.

“MBPP will implement several development projects at a cost of RM5.2mil.

“Among the proposed projects to improve the comfort of the people, include the construction of a public market in Batu Ferringhi,” he added.

By Cavina Lim The Star/ANN

Outspoken author among five new faces at MBPP


New faces appointed as the councillor in Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for 2017. (oriental daily/04 Jan 2017)

GEORGE TOWN: An outspoken author of over a dozen history books is among five new faces appointed as Penang Island City (MBPP) councillors.

Khoo Salma Nasution represents Penang Forum and is taking over from her equally vocal counterpart Dr Lim Mah Hui, who opted out of being re-appointed this year after serving six terms.

Penang Forum is a loose coalition of non-political civil society groups, often critical of the state government’s plans and policies.

The city’s councillors are appointed yearly and comprise a small number of NGO representatives, including one from Penang Forum.

During his term, Dr Lim vocife­rously highlighted governance issues to the point of incurring the annoyance of the state administration.

Khoo planned to keep public pressure on MBPP and wished that more seats were allotted to NGOs.

She is eager to see what committees are in the council and hoped to play a role especially in fostering sustainable development, transport planning, environmental issues and heritage conservation.

“I feel there is not enough awareness on these. I want to see what I can do about making people more conscious of them, not just indivi­duals but at an institutional level,” she said.

The former journalist of The Star who did a 20-year research into Penang’s history and development to write her books, believes that the council needs environmental goals and key performance indicators to monitor Penang’s green progress.

“We need to collect more information about how Penang is doing to track our environmental and heritage conservation efforts,” she said.

Khoo was in Komtar yesterday when Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and state exco member Chow Kon Yeow announced the appointments of the new councillors.

Dr Lim said he was glad that the state government accepted Penang Forum’s nomination of Khoo.

“Her decades of study on Pe­­nang’s growth will help the council manage development while preserving our cultural and heritage values,” he said.

Dr Lim added that he declined his re-appointment because he felt “the change in Penang that we want doesn’t seem to be happening”. Other new faces are Tan Chiew Choon (PKR), Shahrudin Mohamed Sahriff (PKR), Shung Yin Ni (NGO) and Noor Syazwani Mohd Amin (NGO).

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