In a Facebook post on April 22, Malaysian singer Namewee, known for songs like “Fragile Heart” that mock the Chinese Communist Party, shared a photo of a plane ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and a “Celebrity Repentance Form,” seeking opinions from netizens on how to decide. This move, amidst the current tide of history, seemingly prompting his fans to choose sides, left many internet users surprised and even sweating for him, urging him to “cancel the ticket.”
President of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping, recently visited Malaysia, and Namewee, in a Facebook post, made sarcastic remarks about Xi being a smiling enemy, hinting at how China concealed the COVID-19 pandemic, allegedly harvested organs, and intruded into Malaysian waters, labeling the CCP as an enemy of Malaysia.
Just a week later, on April 22, Namewee shared a photo of a simplified Chinese version of an “Artist Management Contract.” The contract displayed details like the parties involved, contact addresses, designated agents, and even identity card numbers. Next to it was a plane ticket to Beijing, with a “Celebrity Repentance Form” sandwiched in between. He captioned the post with “How should I decide?” seemingly pondering whether to “kneel down” and venture to China for development.
Upon seeing the post, many netizens expressed concern for Namewee, leaving comments such as “Cancel the ticket, you may not be able to come back once you go” and “Maybe you should reconsider, we still want to see you.” Some netizens mistakenly believed Namewee was actually going to “kneel” before the CCP, prompting shocked questions like “Can you get in?” and “Are you serious?”
However, some netizens speculated that the items Namewee shared were likely props as he had recently collaborated with famous Hong Kong lyricist Lin Xi, who resides in Taiwan, on a new song titled “Repentance.” When approached by several Taiwanese media outlets for a response, Namewee’s management company declined to comment on the matter.
Namewee, dubbed the “Genius Singer,” has created and performed numerous “anti-CCP anthems” like “Fragile Heart,” garnering significant online views. Despite being considered a thorn in the side by the CCP, Namewee has been in Taiwan for years, openly addressing so-called “sensitive” topics. During Taiwan’s National Day celebrations last year, despite being in Malaysia at the time, he posted a photo of the flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan) on Facebook, wishing Taiwan a happy birthday.
After concluding a concert in Kaohsiung last November, Namewee exclaimed, “Kaohsiung was so much fun! This time in Kaohsiung had so many special moments… the main reason being that in Taiwan, you can do whatever you want without oppression or strange regulations.”
Namewee once issued a message to some singers developing their careers in China: “Today, if you kneel down, tomorrow they will ask you to lay down and lick. In the end, even being silent (not expressing your stance) is considered a crime. Let’s keep this in mind together.”