William Leong Jee Keen

Summary

William Leong Jee Keen (born 1957) is a PKR lawyer-politician who has represented the Selayang parliamentary constituency in Selangor since March 2008, having won four consecutive general elections. He chairs the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform and serves as PKR Treasurer-General. His public record spans institutional reform advocacy, healthcare subsidy policy, environmental governance, and anti-corruption commentary.

Biography

William Leong Jee Keen (born 27 January 1957, Ipoh, Perak) is a Malaysian lawyer and politician who has served as the Member of Parliament for Selayang, Selangor, since March 2008, making him one of the longest-serving PKR MPs in the Klang Valley [1]. He is a member of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), a component of the Pakatan Harapan coalition, and has served as PKR Treasurer-General since July 2022 [1]. Leong obtained his law degree from the National University of Singapore and was admitted to the Malaysian Bar on 11 January 1982 [1]. He worked as a legal assistant from 1982 to 1985, later co-founding a law firm that represented Fortune Global 500-listed companies on the Bursa Malaysia [1]. In 1994, he entered the securities industry, holding positions including Deputy Managing Director and Acting Executive Chairman of one of Southeast Asia's 20 largest companies before returning to law in 1998 [1]. He joined PKR at the encouragement of Anwar Ibrahim and was first elected to Parliament in the 2008 general election, defeating MCA's Lee Li Yew in Selayang with a majority of 3,567 votes [1]. He has since been re-elected in 2013, 2018, and 2022. In Parliament, he chairs the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform [2][3]. He has three children [1].

Known for

Leong is a four-term MP for Selayang who chairs the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform, focusing on institutional governance and rule-of-law issues [4]. He is a trained lawyer with a background in corporate law and securities, and has been a vocal participant in Dewan Rakyat debates on healthcare policy, environmental governance, and anti-corruption measures [5]. He also serves as PKR's Treasurer-General since July 2022 [1].

Political positions

On healthcare, Leong has called for government transparency on Covid-19 vaccine booster shot data and questioned the evidentiary basis for certain pharmaceutical approvals [6]. He has also written in support of targeted healthcare subsidies as a tool to address hospital overcrowding and resource shortages, framing them within the principle of distributive justice [6]. On education, he has argued that universal public education funding is essential to combating inequality, opposing tiered or for-profit schooling systems that disadvantage lower-income families [7]. On institutional reform, he chairs the PSSC examining the separation of powers between the Attorney-General and the Public Prosecutor, and has pushed for Federal Constitution amendments in this area [2]. On transparency, he has urged the Selangor government and the federal government to declassify public contracts from the Official Secrets Act and to conduct open consultations on environmental matters such as quarry licensing in forest reserves [8]. He has publicly opposed political defection as a violation of the democratic mandate given by voters [9].

Education

1. Late 1970s–1981Obtained law degree from the National University of Singapore.⛓

Before politics

1. 11 January 1982Admitted to the Malaysian Bar and began work as a legal assistant at a law firm.⛓
2. 1985Co-founded a new law firm with four other lawyers; the firm represented local and international Fortune Global 500-listed companies in commercial, litigation, and corporate matters on the Bursa Malaysia.⛓
3. 1994Entered the corporate/securities sector, holding senior executive positions including Deputy Managing Director and Acting Executive Chairman of one of the 20 largest companies in Southeast Asia.⛓
4. 1998Returned to legal practice and established his own law firm.⛓

Political career

1. 2007Appointed PKR Treasurer-General for the first time, joining PKR at the encouragement of Anwar Ibrahim despite having no prior political background.⛓
2. March 2008First elected as Member of Parliament for Selayang (GE12), defeating MCA candidate Lee Li Yew with a majority of 3,567 votes.⛓
3. May 2013Re-elected as Selayang MP (GE13), retaining the seat with a majority of 17,846 votes against MCA's Donald Lim Siang Chai and a Berjasa candidate.⛓
4. August 2017Resigned from PKR's Political Bureau, citing dissatisfaction with PKR's continued collaboration with PAS following the Pakatan Rakyat split, and announced he would not contest the next general election.⛓
5. May 2018Re-elected as Selayang MP for a third term (GE14) with a majority of 40,657 votes, receiving 51.8% of votes cast.⛓
6. December 2018Appointed Chairman of the Major Public Appointments Select Committee.⛓
7. July 2022Appointed PKR Treasurer-General.⛓
8. November 2022Re-elected as Selayang MP for a fourth term (GE15) under Pakatan Harapan–PKR banner, receiving 72,773 votes (40.1% vote share) with a majority of 23,619.⛓
9. 2023Chairs the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform, leading proceedings on the proposed separation of the Attorney-General and Public Prosecutor roles.⛓

Election history

• 2022SelayangWon40.1%⛓
• 2018SelayangWon51.8%⛓
• 2013SelayangWon⛓
• 2008SelayangWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentLeong chairs the PSSC on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform as a member of the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition, and supports PM Anwar Ibrahim's targeted subsidy reform framework as consistent with distributive justice principles.⛓
• PublicPKR grassroots leaders and 38 NGOs in Selayang submitted a memorandum in January 2018 urging the party to retain Leong as the GE14 candidate, describing him as approachable and effective regardless of voters' race, religion, or political ideology.⛓
• VerifiedFactsLeong has represented Selayang in four consecutive general elections (2008, 2013, 2018, 2022), winning each time. His vote share in GE14 was 51.8% and in GE15 was 40.1%, with the reduction reflecting a larger multi-candidate field in 2022.⛓