Name exploitation

As a committee member of The Dr Wu Lien-Teh Society in Penang, I want to say something about a recent development. Late last month, we hosted a group from Beijing consisting of publishers, supporters and researchers interested in the life and accomplishments of our local doctor, Dr Wu Lien-Teh. Through our interactions with them, we learnt that various individuals in China had been exploiting Wu Lien-Teh's name, especially during the COVID-19 epidemic. This exploitation has become increasingly problematic in recent years.

We couldn't help but wonder: how exactly was Wu Lien-Teh's name exploited? Well, it turned out his name and likeness were unlawfully used to establish companies and foundations, and even to bestow awards in his honour. Not only that, but trademarks were also registered, profits pocketed, funds raised through illegal means, and yes, fraud was committed. So, a group of individuals in Beijing took it upon themselves to safeguard Wu Lien-Teh's rights and legacy in China. 

(Now, why this specific group? Frankly, we're not entirely sure. Or at least, it's me alone who felt blurry as their conversations with us - our Society's main office-bearers - were all in Mandarin, and my poor understanding was based primarily on what they told me and what I could grasp. Anyhow, the only apparent link they have to Wu Lien-Teh was that a senior member of their clique claimed some distant kinship to the Wu Lien-Teh lineage. Furthermore, he had authored a recent biography on Wu Lien-Teh, published in China. But his appointment as the sole defender of Wu Lien-Teh's rights in China is lost on me. There are questions I'd rather not ask. And let's set the record straight: he's definitely not a grandson of Wu Lien-Teh, despite The Star newspaper's story. Makes you wonder if the reporter got their wires crossed, doesn't it?)

"We are committed to taking action against these dishonest groups to preserve (Wu Lien-Teh's) esteemed reputation," according to a brochure in my hands. Allegedly, these unethical entities enjoyed the protection of influential local factions in China, prompting the Beijing group to enlist the aid of legal and patent experts. Additionally, they garnered support from members of the National People's Congress and the Chinese Political Consultative Conference, resulting, they claimed, in some advancements in their efforts.

So alright, let's talk about Wu Lien-Teh now. The man's dead; he died more than 60 years ago in the land of his birth, where his story began and ended. Despite the flow of time, he remains a pretty big deal in China. Even though he hailed from Penang, he headed to China in 1907 at the request of the Manchu imperial government. Once there, he soon got caught up in a massive plague that ended up taking the lives of around 60,000 people in Harbin. He stuck around in China for three decades, during which he brought modern medical practices to the country and played a key role in establishing several hospitals across the land.

Now, China might want to claim Wu Lien-Teh as one of their own, but there's no denying that he was, first and foremost, an Anak Pulau Pinang or a Son of Penang through and through, not China's. I mean, why else would he have returned to Penang in 1937? Why not tough it out through the Sino-Japanese War? Well, for starters, he lost his home in Shanghai to enemy bombing. And besides, he figured the safest place for his family was back home in Penang.

But there's a point of agreement with the Chinese visitors. There is still much to learn about Wu Lien-Teh of his time in Malaya post-1937. What we do know comes from his autobiography, Plague Fighter. However, autobiographies and memoirs are only as good as what the author tells us. Beyond that, a lot of independent investigations will be needed. As time goes on, this becomes increasingly more difficult. As such, we may never get to learn the full story of this local doctor who got onto the world stage.