Wong Chen Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Yang Berhormat Tuan
Wong Chen
Office:Non-executive Chairman of the
Malaysia Debt Ventures Berhad
Term Start:23 May 2023
Minister:Anwar Ibrahim
1Blankname:Chief Executive Officer
1Namedata:Nizam Mohamed Nadzri
Office1:Chairman of the
International Relations and Trade Select Committee
Term Start1:23 May 2023
Monarch1:Abdullah
Primeminister1:Anwar Ibrahim
Constituency1:Subang
Term Start2:5 December 2019
Term End2:18 May 2020
Monarch2:Abdullah
Primeminister2:Mahathir Mohamad

Muhyiddin Yassin
Constituency2:Subang
Constituency Mp3:Subang
Parliament3:Malaysian
Term Start3:9 May 2018
Predecessor3:Sivarasa Rasiah
(PRPKR)
Majority3:92,353 (2018)
115,074 (2022)
Constituency Mp4:Kelana Jaya
Parliament4:Malaysian
Term Start4:5 May 2013
Term End4:9 May 2018
Predecessor4:Loh Gwo Burne
(PR–PKR)
Successor4:Position abolished
Majority4:28,827 (2013)
Birth Date:18 December 1968
Birth Place:Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Party:People's Justice Party (PKR)
Otherparty:Pakatan Rakyat (PR)

Pakatan Harapan (PH)
Occupation:Politician
Profession:Lawyer
Alma Mater:United World College of South East Asia
University of Warwick
Committees:Select Committee for Finance and Economy

Wong Chen (; born 18 December 1968) is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who has served as Non-executive Chairman of the Malaysia Debt Ventures Berhad (MDV) since May 2023, Chairman of the International Relations and Trade Select Committee from December 2019 to May 2020 and again since May 2023 as well as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Subang since May 2018. He served as the MP for Kelana Jaya from May 2013 to May 2018. He was also a member of the Finance and Economy Select Committee. He is a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and formerly Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalitions.[1]

Background

Wong Chen was born in Assunta Hospital, Petaling Jaya in 1968 and spent his early childhood in Kuala Lumpur and Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Wong Chen's father was a self-made businessman, whereas his mother was a homemaker. He has three siblings, two brothers and a sister. Although Wong Chen was born in Petaling Jaya, he spent much of his early years in Kota Bharu where his father's business was based and this was also where he received his primary education. Wong Chen continued his studies by attending United World College of South East Asia in Singapore. Subsequently, after completing secondary school, he furthered his academic education by reading Law and receiving his law degree from the University of Warwick.[2]

After graduating university, Wong Chen returned to his hometown of Kota Bharu and started practicing law. During his tenure in Kota Bharu, he also did community work by helping the rural poor and powerless through the local legal aid bureau. After spending five years back in his hometown, he then moved to Kuala Lumpur where he became a lawyer specialising in corporate law and information technology. It was during the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis that he began to develop strong feelings within Malaysian politics especially in the wake of the Reformasi Movement.[2]

Political career

Wong Chen joined PKR in 2009. He was asked by a client to help the formation of Pakatan Rakyat and ended up joining the party as an ad-hoc advisor.[3] He acted as a lawyer and drafted the Pakatan Rakyat constitution and submitted documents to the ROS (Registrar of Societies). He started as an ad hoc advisor to the party and worked with Rafizi Ramli on GST. Later in 2011 he was appointed to become the chairman of the Investment and Trade Bureau of PKR.[2] He was put in charge of creating economic and trade policies for the party. In that capacity he gave press conference on a variety of subjects including FGV, 1MDB and palm oil exports.[4] He was one of the first politicians to speak out against 1MDB and in particular in the issue of 1MDB bonds in 2013.[5] The Financial Times interviewed him on the subject matter and described him as a "rising star of PKR".[6] Subsequently, he was interviewed by Reuters, Asian Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

Election to Parliament

Wong Chen was first elected to parliament in the 13th Malaysian general election, winning the seat of Kelana Jaya by defeating National Front (BN) candidate Loh Seng Kok. After the general election, he became an MP and continued to speak on the wider variety of issues including GST, 1MDB and also the general economic landscape of Malaysia. As an MP he also gave views on social and human rights issues including Prevention of Terrorism Act and the Sedition Act.[7]

International Involvements

Internationally, Wong Chen represents the Parliament of Malaysia for the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), represents Asia-Pacific Group for Working Group on Science, Technology, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and is a member of the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR).

KEADILAN Central Leadership Council Member

In 2022, Wong Chen contested in the Keadilan Party Elections or known as Pemilihan Keadilan 2022. He contested for the Central Leadership Council alongside 73 other candidates for that position consisting of other party members including Members of Parliaments and State Assemblymen. Wong Chen was elected after securing 697 votes and making it to the Top 20 for the position.[8] [9]

Election results

Year!
ConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout
2013P104 Kelana Jaya, Selangor (PKR)56,79066.72%Loh Seng Kok (MCA)27,96332.85%86,57128,82785.44%
Toh Sin Wah (IND)3630.43%
2018P104 Subang, Selangor (PKR)104,43083.08%Tan Seong Lim (MCA)12,0779.61%126,883 92,35386.66%
Mohd Shahir Mohd Adnan (IKATAN)9,0257.18%
Toh Sin Wah (IND)1730.14%
2022 (PKR)138,25977.68%bgcolor= Ang Hiang Ni (Gerakan)23,18513.03%179,578115,07477.07%
Kow Cheong Wei (MCA)16,5399.29%

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wong Chen appointed new International Relations and Trade Select Committee chief, MDV non-executive chair. The Star. 23 May 2023. 25 May 2023.
  2. Web site: About Wong Chen . Wong Chen Official Website.
  3. Web site: 'Harry Potter Wong' casts his spell - Nation - The Star Online. www.thestar.com.my.
  4. Web site: FGVH shares: EPF, KWAP incur losses. 11 January 2013.
  5. Web site: PKR: Explain 1MDB bond issuance. 22 April 2013.
  6. News: Grant . Jeremy . Davies . Paul J. . 2013-05-01 . Goldman Sachs criticised over $3bn Malaysia bond deal . Financial Times . 2022-12-19.
  7. Web site: POTA puts too much power in Home Minister's hands. 31 March 2015.
  8. Web site: Noorshahrizam . Shahrin Aizat . 2022-07-17 . Rafizi's team prevails in PKR central leadership polls . 2022-09-22 . Malay Mail . en.
  9. Web site: Welcome PKR - ADIL Election Results Web . 2022-09-21 . keputusan.keadilanrakyat.org.