TopicsPolitician AnalysisChong Zhemin

Chong Zhemin

Party
DAP · Democratic Action Party
Coalition
PH
Constituency
Kampar
State
Perak
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Why this matters to you

As a backbench MP with an accounting background and prior experience on the Perak Public Accounts Committee, Chong uses parliamentary questions and the Rights and Privileges Committee to scrutinise how public money is spent — on issues like pandemic procurement and stalled hospital projects. Kampar residents in particular have a direct stake in his ongoing pressure over the cancelled government hospital project that affected the constituency.

Summary

Chong Zhemin (born 5 July 1985) is the DAP Member of Parliament for Kampar (P070, Perak) under Pakatan Harapan, having won the seat in GE15 in November 2022 after previously serving as the Keranji state assemblyman from 2018. A professionally qualified accountant, he has been active in parliamentary oversight, public accountability scrutiny, and exchanges with MCA on issues ranging from government procurement to inter-party politics. He holds the position of Chief of the Economic Development Bureau of DAP Perak.

Biography

Chong Zhemin (born 5 July 1985) is a Malaysian politician and accountant serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kampar (P070) under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition since November 2022 [1]. He is a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of PH [1]. Prior to his elevation to federal parliament, he served as a Member of the Perak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Keranji from May 2018 to November 2022 [1]. At the state level, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Perak Public Accounts Committee (PAC) following the 2018 general election [2]. Within DAP Perak, he has held the positions of Publicity Secretary, Political Secretary to Nga Kor Ming, and Chief of the Economic Development Bureau [3]. For GE15 in November 2022, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke announced that Chong would move from the Keranji state seat to contest the Kampar parliamentary constituency, replacing two-term incumbent Thomas Su [4]. He won the Kampar seat, which has historically been contested between DAP and MCA [5]. As a backbench MP, Chong has been active in Dewan Rakyat debates, raising questions on government procurement, public accountability, education policy, and parliamentary procedure [6].

Known for

Chong Zhemin is known for his active use of parliamentary mechanisms, including referring himself to the Rights and Privileges Committee in a dispute over government ventilator procurement [5]. He consistently engages in exchanges with MCA president Wee Ka Siong on matters of public accountability and inter-party competition [7]. His professional background as an accountant has informed his work on the Perak PAC and his scrutiny of government financial matters.

Political positions

Chong has consistently scrutinised government procurement and public spending accountability. As Keranji assemblyman, he raised allegations over the cancellation of a government hospital project in Kampar and the role of MCA in the episode, a dispute that drew a legal notice from MCA in January 2020 [8]. He was active in investigating the Movie Animation Park Studios (MAPS) scandal, calling on MACC to investigate all parties involved, including banks he alleged had knowledge of financial irregularities [4]. In Parliament, he raised questions on faulty ventilators procured during the COVID-19 pandemic and called for accountability from the former health minister [7]. On cultural rights, he joined calls for Kelantan to lift its ban on wayang kulit and Mak Yong performances, citing intolerance toward multicultural practices [4]. In May 2025, he suggested that MCA, holding only two parliamentary seats in Malay-majority areas, should dissolve and be absorbed into DAP, remarks his own party secretary-general described as Chong's personal views and not DAP policy [9].

References

  1. [1]en.wikipedia.org
  2. [2]thestar.com.my
  3. [3]en.wikipedia.org; malaymail.com
  4. [4]malaymail.com
  5. [5]freemalaysiatoday.com
  6. [6]malaysiakini.com; nst.com.my; freemalaysiatoday.com
  7. [7]malaysiakini.com
  8. [8]thestar.com.my; malaymail.com
  9. [9]malaymail.com; freemalaysiatoday.com

Before politics

  1. Before 2018Chong Zhemin worked as a qualified accountant and served as Political Secretary to Nga Kor Ming, DAP Perak's National Vice Chairman and State Chairman.⛓

Political career

  1. May 2018Elected as Member of the Perak State Legislative Assembly for Keranji under Pakatan Harapan (DAP) in GE14.⛓
  2. August 2018Appointed Deputy Chairman of the Perak Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the first sitting of the new Perak state assembly.⛓
  3. January 2020MCA sent a legal notice to Chong Zhemin over his allegations that MCA had misappropriated RM150 million allocated for a hospital project in Kampar. Chong maintained his position, citing state assembly hansard records.⛓
  4. October 2020As Keranji assemblyman and former director and chairman of audit committee for Perak Corporation Berhad (PCB), called on MACC to investigate all parties involved in the Movie Animation Park Studios (MAPS) scandal, alleging banks had knowledge of financial irregularities.⛓
  5. October 2022DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke announced Chong Zhemin would contest the Kampar parliamentary seat in GE15, replacing two-term incumbent Thomas Su.⛓
  6. November 2022Won the Kampar parliamentary seat (P070) in GE15 under Pakatan Harapan (DAP), becoming the Member of Parliament for Kampar.⛓
  7. November 2023Referred himself to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee in a dispute over contradictory statements made in the Dewan Rakyat regarding government ventilator procurement in 2020.⛓
  8. December 2023Lodged a police report against Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor over remarks deemed seditious concerning Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing.⛓
  9. May 2025Suggested publicly that MCA should dissolve and be absorbed into DAP, stating the party had become reliant on Umno voters. DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke clarified the remarks were Chong's personal views and not DAP policy.⛓

Election history

  • 2022Kampar (P070)Won⛓
  • 2018Keranji (Perak State)Won⛓

Stance evolution

Public statements grouped chronologically. The party tag shows which party the politician was contesting under at that point.

  1. 2025DAP
    • I urge MCA to return the two seats to Umno and take the brave step of dissolving the party and joining DAP, for the sake of the country's future and the struggle for pluralism, justice, and progress.

      Statement issued by Chong Zhemin regarding MCA's relevance amid the Umno-Bersatu merger debate. · Source

  2. 2023DAP
    • I hope the Speaker will allow this, and that the committee will establish a procedure to determine whether my statement is true or whether his (Wee's) statement is true.

      Press conference in Parliament after Chong referred himself to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee over contradictory statements on the ventilator procurement issue. · Source

Perspectives on key issues

  • GovernmentAs a Pakatan Harapan backbencher, Chong Zhemin is listed on the official Parliament of Malaysia members roll under PH for the Kampar constituency (P070).⛓
  • OppositionMCA Youth information chief Neow Choo Seong hit out at Chong after Chong suggested MCA be disbanded and absorbed into DAP, stating the DAP lawmaker had no right to comment on BN affairs and that MCA and DAP were fundamentally different in ideology and political approach.⛓
  • VerifiedFactsDAP secretary-general Anthony Loke clarified that Chong's May 2025 suggestion that MCA dissolve and join DAP represented Chong's personal views and had never been discussed as party policy.⛓
  • VerifiedFactsBernama's official GE15 candidate list confirms Chong Zhemin as DAP's candidate for P070 Kampar in GE15.⛓

Sources

Every URL the AI used to draft this profile, for editor and reader verification.

Reviewed by editorHigh confidence