Chee Yeeh Keen

Summary

Chee Yeeh Keen (born 9 January 1982) is the DAP Member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly for Bagan Jermal (N08), elected in August 2023 with a majority of 16,149 votes. A former MBSP councillor and automotive industry professional, he entered state-level politics as one of seven new DAP faces in the 2023 Penang state election. He has since been active on local infrastructure and constituency fund accountability issues within the Bagan area.

Biography

Chee Yeeh Keen (born 9 January 1982) is a Malaysian politician serving as Member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Bagan Jermal (N08) since August 2023 [1]. He is a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition [1]. Prior to his election as assemblyman, Chee served as a councillor on the Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP), and before that worked as a business development manager in an automotive company, resigning from that role to dedicate himself to public service [2]. He was one of seven new faces fielded by DAP Penang in the 2023 state election, replacing incumbent Soon Lip Chee at the Bagan Jermal seat [3]. At the August 2023 Penang state election, Chee won the Bagan Jermal seat with 60.5% of the vote (19,687 votes), defeating his nearest rival from Perikatan Nasional by a majority of 16,149 votes [4]. He was sworn in alongside 39 other Penang state assemblymen in August 2023 [5]. Within the DAP Bagan parliamentary liaison committee, he serves as publicity secretary [6]. His Bagan Jermal constituency falls within the Bagan federal parliamentary constituency represented by DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng [7].

Known for

Chee Yeeh Keen is known as a first-term Penang state assemblyman who entered elected office after serving as an MBSP councillor, part of a wave of new DAP faces in the 2023 Penang state election [2]. He has drawn public attention for jointly challenging a Penang exco member over the alleged diversion of RM1.4 million in road maintenance funds away from his Bagan Jermal constituency [6]. He also serves as publicity secretary of the DAP Bagan parliamentary liaison committee [6].

Political positions

Chee has taken a public stance on the accountability of public officials over constituency fund allocation. Together with fellow Bagan-area assemblyman K Kumaran, he demanded accountability from Penang executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari over the alleged diversion of RM1.4 million — part of a total RM5.6 million allocation — intended for road maintenance in the Bagan constituency to opposition-held areas [6]. Chee and Kumaran argued that the return of the funds alone was insufficient without disciplinary action against the responsible public works officer [6]. On the issue of vernacular school funding, he was among DAP Bagan leaders who called on the federal government to end discrimination against vernacular schools [6]. No other distinct policy positions have been publicly reported by allowlist sources to date.

Before politics

1. Pre-2020Worked as a business development manager in an automotive company before resigning to take up public office as an MBSP councillor.⛓
2. January 2020Sworn in as a councillor on the Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP), having resigned from his private sector job to focus on public service. Was expected to serve on MBSP standing committees covering drainage and sewage or infrastructure and traffic.⛓

Political career

1. July 2023Announced as one of seven new DAP candidates for the 2023 Penang state election, fielded in the Bagan Jermal (N08) constituency. At the time, he was described as an MBSP councillor, aged 41.⛓
2. 12 August 2023Won the Bagan Jermal state seat in the 2023 Penang state election under the Pakatan Harapan banner, securing 60.5% of the vote (19,687 votes) and a majority of 16,149 votes over his nearest rival from Perikatan Nasional.⛓
3. August 2023Sworn in as Member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly for Bagan Jermal alongside 39 other Penang assemblymen.⛓
4. November 2023Appointed publicity secretary of the DAP Bagan parliamentary liaison committee, following the 2023 state election.⛓
5. October 2024Jointly with Bagan Dalam assemblyman K Kumaran, issued a public statement demanding an explanation from Penang exco Zairil Khir Johari over the alleged diversion of RM1.4 million in road funds from the Bagan constituency to opposition-held areas.⛓
6. November 2024Together with Kumaran Krishnan, doubled down on calls for disciplinary action against the JKR officer allegedly responsible for diverting constituency road funds, rejecting the mere return of the RM1.4 million as a sufficient resolution.⛓

Election history

• 2023Bagan Jermal (N08), PenangWon60.5%⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsChee Yeeh Keen won the Bagan Jermal seat in the August 2023 Penang state election with 60.5% of the vote and a majority of 16,149 votes, standing under the Pakatan Harapan/DAP banner.⛓
• VerifiedFactsDAP retained all 19 Penang state seats it contested in the 2023 election, with Bagan Jermal among the seats won.⛓
• OppositionPenang exco Zairil Khir Johari denied that any wrongdoing occurred over the road fund allocation, stating that the work was extended to neighbouring areas to ensure an entire road stretch was upgraded, and called Lim Guan Eng's characterisation of the matter slanderous. Zairil's position puts him at odds with the stance taken publicly by Chee.⛓
• ExpertPolitical scientist Wong Chin Huat of Sunway University warned DAP that the dispute over the road fund allocation could turn away loyal supporters, as it contradicted the party's image as a champion of democracy and fairness.⛓
• IndustryFormer DAP central executive committee member Ronnie Liu said the dispute over the RM5.6 million road allocation was 'uncalled for', expressing the view that Zairil had done no wrong as the works concerned a link road serving two constituencies.⛓