Chong Eng


Chong Eng is a Malaysian politician who served as Member of the Penang State Executive Council in the Pakatan Rakyat and Pakatan Harapan state administration under Chief Ministers Lim Guan Eng and Chow Kon Yeow and Member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly for Padang Lalang from May 2013 to August 2023, Member of Parliament of for Bukit Mertajam from November 1999 to May 2013 and MLA for Batu Lancang from April 1995 to November 1999. She is a member and was the Deputy Secretary-General of the Democratic Action Party, a component party of the PH and formerly PR, Barisan Alternatif and Gagasan Rakyat coalitions. She has served as the Women Advisor of DAP since September 2023. She also served as Women Chief of PH from March to September 2021, Women Chief of DAP from 2000 to September 2023 and Acting Secretary-General of DAP from May to September 2002. She is also Deputy Head and Member of the Standing Order Committee of the Women Parliamentary Caucus. She also served in the Women Crisis Center and Community AIDS Service Penang.
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Family

She is married to Gunabalan Krishnasamy who is an artist. The couple have two sons, Jothi, who is assisting his mother in political endeavors and Omprekash who is now a 3-time Malaysia book of records breaking athlete, and artist for Koi Tribe, an international web magazine.

Personal life and education

She was born in a Chinese new village in Pahang from a family of 10 siblings. She started her primary education in the only Chinese primary school in the village. She was also the first girl from the village to pursue her study in a local university, namely Universiti Pertanian Malaysia. She eventually obtained her bachelor of Science degree in Human Development Studies from UPM. Now, she writes regularly in local Chinese dailies and have published three books.

Political career

Chong started her political career as a full-time research officer in 1990 with DAP Penang. Chong won the Batu Lanchang state constituency in 1995 Malaysian general election and became the first women to be elected into the Penang State Assembly. She was the sole opposition representative in the state assembly at that time. She subsequently were elected as Bukit Mertajam Member of Parliament in 1999, 2004 and 2008 general elections. She then contested and won the Penang state seat of Padang Lalang in 2013 and 2018 general elections. On 18 March 2021, she was appointed as Women Chief of the Pakatan Harapan opposition coalition.

Honours