Liew Chin Tong

Summary

Liew Chin Tong is a DAP Member of Parliament for Iskandar Puteri, Johor, and currently serves as Deputy Finance Minister in the Unity Government under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim following a December 2025 cabinet reshuffle. A veteran strategist and author with a background in political research and think-tank leadership, he has held parliamentary seats across three different constituencies since 2008 and made history as the first Malaysian not of Malay descent to serve as Deputy Minister of Defence. His public positions have focused prominently on industrial policy, foreign investment, wage growth, and Malaysia's economic positioning in a shifting global trade environment.

Biography

Liew Chin Tong (born 27 November 1977, Subang Jaya, Selangor) is a Malaysian politician, author, and Member of Parliament for Iskandar Puteri, Johor, representing the Democratic Action Party (DAP) under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition [1]. He received his early education at Kwang Hua Private High School and later graduated with a Bachelor of Asian Studies (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the Australian National University in 2004, followed by an International Masters in Regional Integration from the Asia-Europe Institute, University of Malaya in 2006 [1]. He joined DAP in 1999 and, prior to his election to Parliament, served as Executive Director of Research for Social Advancement (REFSA) from 2007 to 2011 and Executive Director of Penang Institute from 2009 to 2012, and was a visiting research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) in Singapore [1]. He was first elected to Parliament in the 2008 general election for Bukit Bendera, Penang, and subsequently won the Kluang seat in Johor in 2013 [1]. He narrowly lost the Ayer Hitam seat by 303 votes in GE14 in 2018 but was appointed a senator and served as Deputy Minister of Defence from July 2018 to February 2020 — the first Malaysian not of Malay descent to hold that office [1]. He won the Perling state seat in the March 2022 Johor state election, and in GE15 (November 2022) won the Iskandar Puteri parliamentary seat with a majority of 29,958 votes [2]. He served as Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry from December 2022 to December 2025, when a cabinet reshuffle appointed him Deputy Finance Minister [3]. He has served as DAP National Strategic Director since March 2025 [1]. He also served as Johor DAP chairman from 2014 to 2024 [4]. He is a published author of several books on Malaysian politics and political economy.

Known for

Liew is known as a long-serving DAP strategist who is widely credited with helping to engineer Pakatan Rakyat's takeover of the Penang state government in 2008 [1]. He made history as the first Malaysian not of Malay descent to serve as Deputy Minister of Defence when appointed to that role in 2018 [1]. In the current Unity Government, he has been a principal voice on investment promotion, trade policy, and Malaysia's transition toward a technology-driven economy [5].

Political positions

Liew has consistently advocated for Malaysia to shift from being primarily a trading nation to a technology-driven and innovation-led economy. In his role as Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, he called for the creation of better-paying jobs through automation, artificial intelligence, and digitalisation, and argued for stronger domestic supply chain linkages rather than relying solely on real estate-driven industrial park development [3][4]. He has championed the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) as a regional growth catalyst and has suggested that Johor Bahru should be recognised as Malaysia's second economic capital [5]. On trade policy, he has maintained that Malaysia was effectively compelled to enter US reciprocal tariff negotiations, while asserting that the resulting agreement did not compromise Malaysian sovereignty [5]. On social issues, Liew has written in support of more humane treatment of Rohingya refugees, and has also been a vocal proponent of electoral reform [4]. On inter-coalition politics, he has regularly commented on the structural limits and internal tensions within the Perikatan Nasional opposition [6].

Education

1. Up to 1995Attended Kwang Hua Private High School for secondary education.⛓
2. 2001–2004Studied at the Australian National University (ANU), graduating with a Bachelor of Asian Studies (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2004.⛓
3. 2006Obtained International Masters in Regional Integration at the Asia-Europe Institute, University of Malaya.⛓

Before politics

1. 1999Joined the Democratic Action Party (DAP).⛓
2. 2007–2011Served as Executive Director of Research for Social Advancement (REFSA).⛓
3. 2009–2012Served as Executive Director of Penang Institute (formerly SERI). Also held position as visiting research fellow at ISEAS, Singapore.⛓

Political career

1. March 2008First elected to Parliament, winning the Bukit Bendera federal constituency in Penang in GE12. Credited with helping to mastermind Pakatan Rakyat's takeover of the Penang state government.⛓
2. May 2013Won the Kluang parliamentary seat in Johor in GE13, defeating incumbent MCA's Hou Kok Chung.⛓
3. May 2018Contested Ayer Hitam parliamentary seat in GE14 against MCA president Wee Ka Siong; narrowly lost by 303 votes.⛓
4. July 2018Appointed Deputy Minister of Defence in the PH administration under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu, becoming the first Malaysian not of Malay descent to hold this office. Concurrently appointed senator.⛓
5. February 2020Ceased to serve as Deputy Minister of Defence following the collapse of the PH administration.⛓
6. March 2022Won the Perling state seat in the Johor state election, subsequently serving as Johor State Leader of the Opposition from April 2022.⛓
7. March 2022Re-elected to DAP Central Executive Committee at the 17th DAP National Congress with 1,008 votes; subsequently appointed DAP Deputy Secretary-General.⛓
8. November 2022Won the Iskandar Puteri parliamentary seat in GE15 with a majority of 29,958 votes.⛓
9. December 2022Appointed Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry in the Unity Government under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.⛓
10. April 2023Portfolio retitled to Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry following ministry rebranding.⛓
11. October 2024Stepped down as Johor DAP chairman (a position held since 2014), replaced by Teo Nie Ching.⛓
12. March 2025Appointed DAP National Strategic Director.⛓
13. December 2025Appointed Deputy Finance Minister in a cabinet reshuffle, moving from the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry.⛓
14. June 2026Not fielded to defend the Perling state seat in the 2026 Johor state election; seat to be contested by Alan Tee.⛓

Election history

• 2022Iskandar PuteriWon⛓
• 2018Ayer HitamLost⛓
• 2013KluangWon⛓
• 2008Bukit BenderaWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentAs Deputy Finance Minister and a senior DAP figure in the Unity Government, Liew has publicly defended the government's investment promotion record, trade negotiation strategy with the US, and the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone as a driver of regional economic growth.⛓
• OppositionThe Edge Malaysia reported that Liew's decision to contest the Iskandar Puteri parliamentary seat in GE15, while holding the Perling state seat, drew criticism from some quarters who argued it conflicted with DAP's stated 'one person, one seat' policy.⛓
• VerifiedFactsLiew won the Iskandar Puteri parliamentary seat in GE15 with a majority of 29,958 votes (NST). He was appointed Deputy Finance Minister in the December 2025 cabinet reshuffle (Bernama). He served as Johor DAP chairman from 2014 to October 2024 (Malay Mail).⛓