Alice Lau Kiong Yieng (born 30 July 1981; simplified Chinese: 刘强燕; traditional Chinese: 劉強燕; pinyin: Liú Qiángyàn) is a Malaysian politician and pharmacist who has served as the Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat II under Speaker Johari Abdul since December 2022 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lanang since May 2013.[2] She served as Chairperson of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) from October 2019 to March 2020. She is a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.
Alice Lau Kiong Yieng | |
|---|---|
| 刘强燕 | |
| Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat II | |
| Assumed office 19 December 2022 Serving with Ramli Mohd Nor | |
| Monarchs | Abdullah (2022–2024) Ibrahim Iskandar (since 2024) |
| Prime Minister | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Speaker | Johari Abdul |
| Preceded by | Azalina Othman Said |
| Constituency | Lanang |
| Chairperson of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health | |
| In office 1 October 2019 – 31 March 2020 | |
| Monarch | Abdullah |
| Prime Minister | Mahathir Mohamad |
| Minister | M. Kulasegaran |
| Preceded by | Lee Lam Thye |
| Succeeded by | Wilson Ugak Kumbong |
| Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Lanang | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Tiong Thai King (BN–SUPP) |
| Majority | 8,630 (2013) 14,546 (2018) 11,544 (2022) |
| Personal details | |
| Pronunciation | pinyin: Liú Qiángyàn |
| Born | Alice Lau Kiong Yieng 30 July 1981[1] Sibu, Sibu Division, Sarawak, Malaysia |
| Citizenship | Malaysian |
| Nationality |  Malaysia |
| Political party | Democratic Action Party (DAP) (since 2009) |
| Other political affiliations | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) (2009–2015) Pakatan Harapan (PH) (since 2015) |
| Spouse |
Loo Chee Wee (罗智伟) (m. 2014) |
| Parent |
|
| Alma mater | International Medical University University of Strathclyde (MPharm)[1] |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Pharmacist |
| Salary | RM192,000 per annum |
Education
editA pharmacist by profession, Lau received her Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) from University of Strathclyde.[1]
Political career
editLau joined DAP in 2009.
A native of Sibu, Lau first contested for the Bawang Assan seat in the Sarawak State Assembly during the 2011 Sarawak state election, but was defeated by six-term incumbent Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Wong Soon Koh.[3]
In the 2013 Malaysian general election, Lau was nominated by the DAP to contest for Lanang in Sibu. She defeated five-term incumbent Tiong Thai King with a majority of 8,630 votes, or 19.2% of the votes, becoming the first female opposition MP elected from Sarawak.[1][4]
Lau successfully defended her Lanang parliamentary seat during the historic 2018 Malaysian general election with an increased majority over candidates from the Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) and Justices of Peace Coalition People's Party (PEACE).[5][6][7]
In July 2019, Alice Lau had asked in parliament on what actions the federal government would take against those who called for secession of Sarawak from Malaysia and if the secession is permissible by the Malaysian federal constitution and 1963 Malaysian agreement.[8] Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) then accused her of betraying the interests of Sarawakians. Alice Lau defended that she was merely raising the question on the legality Sarawak being seceded from Malaysia.[9]
In October 2019, Lau was appointed as chairperson of the board of directors of the Malaysian National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) succeeding Lee Lam Thye who had served in the capacity for 25 years.[10][11][12] Her tenure was terminated by the end of March 2020 following events of the 2020 Malaysian political crisis which saw the Alliance of Hope (PH) coalition losing its grip on power.[13]
In July 2021, Alice distributed food aid to 1,540 families in the Lanang constituency during the Covid-19 pandemic.[14]
Election results
edit| Year | Constituency | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | P211 Lanang, Sarawak | Alice Lau Kiong Yieng (DAP) | 26,613 | 59.68% | Tiong Thai King (SUPP) | 17,983 | 40.32% | 44,956 | 8,630 | 78.67% | ||
| 2018 | Alice Lau Kiong Yieng (DAP) | 29,905 | 65.16% | Kong Sien Chiu (SUPP) | 15,359 | 33.47% | 46,419 | 14,546 | 74.90% | |||
| Priscilla Lau (PEACE) | 628 | 1.37% | ||||||||||
| 2022 | Alice Lau Kiong Yieng (DAP) | 30,120 | 56.89% | Wong Ching Yong (SUPP) | 18,576 | 35.08% | 53,972 | 11,544 | 60.61% | |||
| Priscilla Lau (PSB) | 3,663 | 6.92% | ||||||||||
| Wong Tiing Kiong (IND) | 587 | 1.11% | ||||||||||
| Year | Constituency | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | N47 Bawang Assan | Alice Lau Kiong Yieng (DAP) | 5,508 | 42.95% | Wong Soon Koh (SUPP) |
7,316 | 57.05% | 12,936 | 1,808 | 77.26% | ||
Personal life
editLau's father, Lau Cheng Kiong, was the chairman of Pelawan branch of the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), a component of the National Front (BN) government coalition.[15]
Lau is married to a businessman from Malacca, Loo Chee Wee.[16] The couple have a son who was born on 9 April 2016.[17]
On 27 May 2021, it was reported that she had tested positive for COVID-19 and undergoing quarantine at a Ministry of Health (KKM) centre in Sibu.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Change comes to Sarawak". The Rocket. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
- ^ "Maklumat Ahli Parlimen". Parlimen Malaysia. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
- ^ "Seven women triumph in S'wak election". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
- ^ Boo, Su-Lyn (1 January 2014). "For new Lanang MP, changing one woman's life biggest accomplishment of 2013". Malay Mail. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ Chua, Andy (11 May 2018). "Big-majority victories in Sibu and Lanang". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ "DAP's Alice Lau retains Lanang seat with bigger majority". The Borneo Post. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ "Malaysia election: People's tsunami for government change, says Lanang parliamentary seat winner". Straits Times. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ "Secession: Dr M's reply to Lau 'double edge sword'". The Borneo Post. 6 July 2019. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "Lanang MP decries accusation of betrayal against Sarawakians". The Borneo Post. 10 July 2013. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "Sarawak MP Alice Lau appointed new NIOSH chairman". Free Malaysia Today. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ Mohd., Hafiz (6 October 2019). "Confirmed: DAP's Lau is new Niosh chair". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ Razali, Safeek Affendy (6 October 2019). "Lanang MP is new NIOSH chairman". New Straits Times. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ Wong, Philip (1 April 2020). "I accept my early termination as Niosh Chairperson with open heart, says Alice Lau". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
- ^ "1,540 keluarga di Parlimen Lanang sudah dapat bakul makanan (1,540 families in the Lanang parliamentary constituency got their food basket)". Malaysia Dateline. 12 July 2021. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ Chua, Andy (27 August 2010). "DAP candidate may have father as rival in Sibu polls". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
- ^ "Lanang MP Alice Lau marries Melaka businessman". The Borneo Post. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
- ^ "南兰议员刘强燕诞下男婴". Oriental Daily News Malaysia. Retrieved 17 February 2023.