Chan Kong Choy

Chan Kong Choy (; born 17 May 1955) is a businessman leading two publicly listed companies in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) as Executive Chairman. Further to that, he is also an adjunct professor at the University of Malaya and more than 15 years ago, he was a Malaysian politician who has never lost a general election in his two decade political career. He was the former deputy president of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), a component party of the then-ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition formerly Minister of Transport from 1 July 2003 to 18 March 2008.

in 2008, Chan was awarded 'Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia' with the title of 'Tan Sri' by Yang di-Pertuan Agong. It is one of the highest honours bestowed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The award can only be awarded to 250 living recipients globally at any one time.

Life and career

Chan Kong Choy was born in Bentong, Pahang on 17 May 1955 to an ethnic Malaysian Chinese family of Cantonese descent with ancestry from Yunfu, Guangdong, China.^[1] He studied in Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman in 1975 for his Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM). He graduated with first class honours in Chinese Studies from University of Malaya in 1979. He went on to obtain a post-graduate Diploma in Education, University of Malaya in 1980.

He has served the MCA national leadership for 16 years. Chan has been a Minister for five years and thirteen years as Deputy Minister in the federal government beside four years as Pahang State executive councillor. He has served nine years as MCA Youth chairman, and the Federal and State Government portfolios continuously since 1986. In 1986 general election, Chan was elected as Pahang state assemblyman for Tanah Rata and he was selected by Pahang State Government as its executive councillor and held that post until 1990. After contested and won the parliamentary seat of Lipis, Pahang in the 1990 general election, Chan was elevated by the party leadership and made a Deputy Minister in the Culture, Arts and Tourism Ministry. In 1990, Chan became the party's National Youth chairman. Chan was re-elected to a second term as the National Youth chairman in the 1993 party elections.

Chan was made MCA vice-president in 1999 and subsequently assumed the Deputy Finance Minister's post after the general elections that same year. With his experience in the party leadership and Government, Chan faithfully remained as Deputy Minister and party vice-president. The MCA Central Committee appointed Chan as the party's new deputy president with the resignation of Datuk Lim Ah Lek from that post.

Chan was the Member of Parliament for Selayang, Selangor from 1995 to 2008. Chan successfully won the parliamentary constituency of Selayang in General Elections of 1990, 1995, 1999 and 2004 for the Barisan Nasional or National Front coalition.

Chan did not defend his parliamentary seat in the 12th general elections held on 18 March 2008 thus stepped down from his cabinet post as Transport Minister citing health reasons and to make way for young blood.^[2][3] He subsequently did not contest back the post of deputy president of MCA in the party election on 18 October 2008 too which was won by Chua Soi Lek.

After retiring from active politics, Chan pursued his passion in business and academia and is currently serving the University of Malaya as an adjunct professor.^[4]

In 2016, Chan donated his personal collection of literary works on 'The Dream of The Red Chamber', one of the four greatest classical novels in Chinese literature to University of Malaya. The collection has 6000 pieces of literary works and is touted as the largest private collection outside of mainland China.^[5]

in 2021, Chan assumed the role of Executive Chairman of Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd, a diversified group spanning Construction, Property Development and Natural Resources listed in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.^[6]

In 2023, Chan assumed the role as Executive Chairman of PA Resources Bhd, one of the largest aluminum resources and extrusion business in Malaysia involved in all, upstream, midstream and downstream activities.^[7]

Controversy

In 2011, Chan was charged with cheating former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi over the PKFZ scandal.^[8] Due to his court charges, the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah temporarily suspended Chan's Datukship pending the outcome of the court trial, which subsequently happened to be a positive outcome for Chan.^[9] In 2014, the High Court acquitted Chan the three charges of cheating in the PKFZ scandal after the prosecution withdrew charges against him thus clearing his name of any wrongdoing.^[10][11]

Personal life

Chan is married to Ann Chan and the couple has four children.

Chronology of past political positions

• Political Secretary
  Ministry of Housing & Local Government (Datuk Lee Kim Sai)
  1986
• EXCO Member
  Pahang State Government
  1986 - 1990
• Member of Parliament
  1990 - 2008
• Deputy Minister
  Culture, Arts & Tourism
  1990 - 1995
• Deputy Minister
  Energy, Communication & Multimedia
  1995 - 1999
• Deputy Minister
  Ministry of Finance
  1999 - May 2003
• Minister of Transport
  1 July 2003 - 18 March 2008

Election results

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

• Malaysia
  • Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (2008)^[14]
• Kelantan
  • Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Kelantan (DPMK) – Dato' (2003)^[15]
• Pahang
  • Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) – Dato' Sri (2003)^[16]
  • Knight Companion of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (DSAP) – Dato' (1990)
• Sarawak
  • Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of Sarawak (PNBS) – Dato Sri (2006)^[17]
• Selangor
  • Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (DPMS) – Dato' (2003)^[18]

References

1. ^ 陈广才先生荣膺马来西亚交通部长高职 Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, 15 August 2003 15, Guangdong Qiao Wang
2. ^ "Chan made quit decision 8 months ago". The Sun (Malaysia). 22 February 2008. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
3. ^ DINOBEANO (21 February 2008). "MCA's Chan Kong Choy Out". Malaysiakini. DIN MERICAN: THE MALAYSIAN DJ BLOGGER. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
4. ^ "UM student, then a minister and now Chan is back as a professor - Nation | The Star Online". thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
5. ^ "Chan Kong Choy donates literary collection to Universiti Malaya - Nation | The Star Online". thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
6. ^ "Fajarbaru names Chan as executive chairman". The Star. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
7. ^ MarketScreener (2023-06-30). "P.A. Resources Berhad Announces Redesignation of Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy from Non Executive Chairman to Executive Chairman, Effective 01 July 2023 -June 30, 2023 at 08:33 am EDT | MarketScreener". marketscreener.com. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
8. ^ "PKFZ: Kong Choy charged with cheating". The Borneo Post. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
9. ^ "Selangor palace suspends Chan Kong Choy's Datukship". The Star (Malaysia). 10 April 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
10. ^ Maizatul Nazlina (13 January 2014). "Chan Kong Choy acquitted in PKFZ case". The Star. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
11. ^ Ida Lim (13 January 2014). "Chan Kong Choy acquitted of cheating in PKFZ case this clearing him of any wrongdoing.". Malay Mail. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
12. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
13. ^ "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Results only available from the 2004 election.
14. ^ "Three new Tuns head awards list". Bernama. The Star. 7 June 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
15. ^ "Kelantan Sultan's honours list". The Star. 31 March 2003. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
16. ^ "Pahang royalty heads state honours list". The Star
17. ^ "Chan, ex-IGP top award list". The Star. 9 September 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
18. ^ "The Sultan of Selangor's Birthday Honours List". The Star. 13 December 2003. Retrieved 23 September 2018.

External links

• 2004 Malaysian General Election result