Ong Ah Teong

Summary

Ong Ah Teong (born 26 June 1970) is the DAP Member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly for Batu Lancang, first elected in May 2018 and re-elected in August 2023 with a large majority. A former Penang Island City Council member, he serves as a backbencher within the Pakatan Harapan-led Penang state government and has used the assembly floor to raise issues on housing speculation, GLC governance, building safety, and public spending transparency.

Biography

Ong Ah Teong (Chinese: 王耶宗; born 26 June 1970) is a Malaysian politician serving as Member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Batu Lancang since May 2018 [1]. He is a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition [1]. Prior to entering elected office, Ong served as a member of the Penang Island City Council (MBPP), giving him experience in local governance before his nomination to contest the 2018 Penang state election [1]. Within DAP's internal structure, he holds the posts of Chairman of the DAP Solok Batu Lancang branch and Communication Secretary for the DAP Jelutong division [1]. His constituency, Batu Lancang (N31), covers the Batu Lanchang suburb and parts of Jelutong in George Town, Penang [1]). Ong was re-elected in the August 2023 Penang state election, polling 19,973 votes against Perikatan Nasional's Mohd Aswaad Jaafar, who obtained 1,602 votes, out of a total voter roll of 33,106 [2]. In the 2024 Penang DAP state convention, Ong was among the state assemblymen who did not secure a seat on the newly elected Penang DAP state committee [2]. As a backbencher in the Penang State Legislative Assembly, he has raised questions on housing affordability, public governance, earthquake preparedness for buildings, and the financial transparency of state agencies and government-linked companies [3].

Known for

Ong Ah Teong is known as a Penang DAP backbencher who uses the state assembly floor to scrutinise state agency governance and raise constituent-level urban issues. He has proposed a 3% property transfer premium tax on non-Penang buyers to address housing affordability, and has called for InvestPenang to be dissolved following audit findings of governance weaknesses [4]. He also drew attention for his early-term constituency greening initiatives, including the development of mini-parks and a weekly food truck bazaar in Batu Lancang [5].

Political positions

On housing, Ong has argued that Penang properties have become speculative investment instruments for outside buyers, driving up prices and making homeownership harder for local residents. He proposed amending state land laws to impose a 3% transfer premium on property transactions involving buyers or sellers who are not Penang-born, not Penang permanent residents, or not registered Penang voters for at least three terms, and cited comparable measures in Kelantan, Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore, and Spain as precedents [4]. On public governance and GLC accountability, he questioned InvestPenang's transparency after the Auditor-General's Report 1/2026 highlighted weaknesses in monitoring and internal controls, including salary and bonus increases to the CEO allegedly made without board approval, and called on InvestPenang to be subject to the same legislative checks as other GLCs [4]. On building safety, he raised concerns in the Penang State Legislative Assembly that only two Penang structures — the first Penang Bridge and Komtar — are designed to withstand earthquakes, and proposed structural audits for high-rise buildings and the introduction of an Earthquake Protection Scheme modelled on Taiwan's system [6]. He has also raised questions on the financial transparency of state social welfare facilities, including operating costs of the state's homeless transit centre [7].

Before politics

1. Before 2018Served as a member of the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) before entering elected politics.⛓

Political career

1. May 2018First elected as Member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly for Batu Lancang (N31) under DAP/Pakatan Harapan in the 14th Penang state election.⛓
2. August 2019Reported by Malaysiakini for his constituency greening work, including a mini-park along Jalan Free School and a weekly food truck bazaar at the Batu Lancang Market.⛓
3. August 2023Re-elected as MLA for Batu Lancang in the 15th Penang state election, polling 19,973 votes against Perikatan Nasional's candidate who obtained 1,602 votes, out of a voter roll of 33,106.⛓
4. September 2024Did not secure a seat on the Penang DAP state committee (2024/2027 term) at the Penang DAP Ordinary Convention.⛓
5. May 2025Raised in the Penang State Legislative Assembly that only two Penang structures are earthquake-resistant, and proposed structural audits and an Earthquake Protection Scheme for high-rise buildings.⛓
6. May 2026Proposed a 3% property transfer premium on non-Penang buyers or sellers in the state assembly, and questioned InvestPenang's governance following the Auditor-General's Report 1/2026.⛓

Election history

• 2023Batu Lancang (N31)Won92.6%⛓
• 2018Batu Lancang (N31)Won⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentPenang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow defended InvestPenang in response to Ong's proposal that the agency be dissolved, citing RM287.5 billion in foreign and domestic investment attracted to Penang since 2010 and stating that the state government takes Auditor-General findings seriously and has implemented improvements. According to Free Malaysia Today, Chow also weighed in during a May 2025 assembly sitting to back a fellow exco member over a procedural dispute with Ong, and called on Ong to apologise.⛓
• PublicAccording to Free Malaysia Today, the outgoing Penang State Assembly Speaker (a PKR member) gave praise to Ong Ah Teong ahead of the 2023 state election, endorsing him for his tireless work in serving the people of Batu Lancang.⛓
• VerifiedFactsOng polled 19,973 votes in the 2023 Penang state election against Perikatan Nasional's Mohd Aswaad Jaafar, who obtained 1,602 votes, out of 33,106 registered voters. He did not secure a seat on the Penang DAP state committee at the September 2024 convention. He holds the posts of Chairman of DAP Solok Batu Lancang branch and Communication Secretary for DAP Jelutong division.⛓