# Chong Kah Kiat

Chong Kah Kiat (Chinese: 章家傑; pinyin: Zhāng Jiājié; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Chhong Gá-khíet) (born 3 June 1947) is a Malaysian politician of Chinese descent who served as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department from May 1995 to March 1999, 13th Chief Minister of Sabah from March 2001 to March 2003 and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 1991 to 2006.

## History in politics

Born in Kudat, Chong was a graduate of New Zealand's Victoria University of Wellington, earning a Master of Laws (LL.B.) (First Class) in 1975 and subsequently practising law at the legal firm of Shelley Yap, Leong, Tseu, Chong, Chia & Co. (now known as Shelley Yap) in Kota Kinabalu.
He contested and won the Kudat seat on a BERJAYA ticket in the March 1981 state election and was appointed Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister of Sabah the following year. He held the post until April 1985 when he lost the seat to Wong Phin Chung of United Sabah Party (PBS).
In March 1987, he became a member of the Berjaya Supreme Council but later left the party when it became clear that it was losing ground.
Chong and several Chinese leaders founded the LDP in 1989 and was made its pro-tem secretary general. Then in 1991, he became the party's president. He did not contest the 1994 state election but a year later was appointed Senator in the Dewan Negara and subsequently included in the Cabinet of Malaysia as one of the Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department representing East Malaysia, Sabah state as well as the dominant minority Chinese community, in which he served in this portfolio until 1996. He then quit federal politics in March 1999 to contest the state polls. This time, he won back his traditional stronghold of Kudat, and was appointed state minister of Tourism Development, Environment, Science and Technology.
Chong became the 13th Chief Minister of Sabah in 2001 representing the Chinese community in a rotation system mooted by former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in 1994.
When Musa Aman took over the helm of the state government in 2003, Chong was appointed Deputy Chief Minister as well as the person in charge of the tourism, culture, and environment portfolio. It was then the rotation system was scrapped and from then onwards, the Chief Minister post was held by the United Malays National Organisation until the 2018 Sabah state election.
In April 2007, Chong resigned from the Deputy Chief Minister post under Musa Aman's cabinet, citing matters of principle.

## Election results

Sabah State Legislative Assembly :
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout |
| 1986 | N02 Kudat, P134 Merudu | Chong Kah Kiat (BERJAYA) | 3,489 | 44.20% | Wong Phin Chung (PBS) | 4,380 | 55.48% | 7,973 | 891 | 76.94% |
| 1986 | N02 Kudat, P134 Merudu | Chong Kah Kiat (BERJAYA) | 3,489 | 44.20% | Dingle Anthony (IND) | 25 | 0.32% | 7,973 | 891 | 76.94% |
| 1990 | N02 Kudat, P134 Merudu | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 4,043 | 43.25% | Wong Phin Chung (PBS) | 4,667 | 49.92% | 9.459 | 624 | 75.01% |
| 1990 | N02 Kudat, P134 Merudu | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 4,043 | 43.25% | Yong Sze Kiun (BERJAYA) | 309 | 3.31% | 9.459 | 624 | 75.01% |
| 1990 | N02 Kudat, P134 Merudu | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 4,043 | 43.25% | Lee Tain Soong (PRS) | 127 | 1.36% | 9.459 | 624 | 75.01% |
| 1990 | N02 Kudat, P134 Merudu | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 4,043 | 43.25% | Chong Jan Fah (DAP) | 94 | 1.01% | 9.459 | 624 | 75.01% |
| 1990 | N02 Kudat, P134 Merudu | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 4,043 | 43.25% | Gurahman Lolong (IND) | 60 | 0.64% | 9.459 | 624 | 75.01% |
| 1990 | N02 Kudat, P134 Merudu | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 4,043 | 43.25% | Wiilie Chong Kui Shen (AKAR) | 48 | 0.51% | 9.459 | 624 | 75.01% |
| 1999 | N02 Kudat, P146 Merudu | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 6,935 | 53.48% | Kong Hong Ming (PBS) | 5,447 | 42.00% | 13,080 | 1,488 | 72.76% |
| 1999 | N02 Kudat, P146 Merudu | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 6,935 | 53.48% | Jimmy Wong Sze Phin (AKAR) | 481 | 3.71% | 13,080 | 1,488 | 72.76% |
| 1999 | N02 Kudat, P146 Merudu | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 6,935 | 53.48% | Yong Sze Kiun (SETIA) | 105 | 0.81% | 13,080 | 1,488 | 72.76% |
| 2004 | N02 Tanjong Kapor, P167 Kudat | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 6,234 | 49.74% | Omar Mohd Aji (IND) | 3,241 | 25.86% | 12,865 | 2,993 | 69.40% |
| 2004 | N02 Tanjong Kapor, P167 Kudat | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 6,234 | 49.74% | Kong Hong Ming (IND) | 1,877 | 14.98% | 12,865 | 2,993 | 69.40% |
| 2004 | N02 Tanjong Kapor, P167 Kudat | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 6,234 | 49.74% | Wong Phin Chung (IND) | 1,035 | 8.26% | 12,865 | 2,993 | 69.40% |
| 2004 | N02 Tanjong Kapor, P167 Kudat | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 6,234 | 49.74% | Santong Angkap (BERSEKUTU) | 52 | 0.41% | 12,865 | 2,993 | 69.40% |
| 2004 | N02 Tanjong Kapor, P167 Kudat | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 6,234 | 49.74% | Alexandra Anthony (keADILan) | 50 | 0.40% | 12,865 | 2,993 | 69.40% |
| 2004 | N02 Tanjong Kapor, P167 Kudat | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 6,234 | 49.74% | Bensali Ebrahim (PASOK) | 44 | 0.35% | 12,865 | 2,993 | 69.40% |
| 2020 | N18 Inanam, P171 Sepanggar | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 1,606 | 9.51% | Peto Galim (PKR) | 8,586 | 50.92% | 16,890 | 5,638 | 64.87% |
| 2020 | N18 Inanam, P171 Sepanggar | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 1,606 | 9.51% | William Majinbon (PBS) | 2,948 | 17.38% | 16,890 | 5,638 | 64.87% |
| 2020 | N18 Inanam, P171 Sepanggar | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 1,606 | 9.51% | Kenny Chua Teck Ho (IND) | 2,346 | 13.89% | 16,890 | 5,638 | 64.87% |
| 2020 | N18 Inanam, P171 Sepanggar | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 1,606 | 9.51% | Francis Goh Fah Shun (GAGASAN) | 362 | 2.14% | 16,890 | 5,638 | 64.87% |
| 2020 | N18 Inanam, P171 Sepanggar | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 1,606 | 9.51% | How Regina Lim (PCS) | 291 | 1.72% | 16,890 | 5,638 | 64.87% |
| 2020 | N18 Inanam, P171 Sepanggar | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 1,606 | 9.51% | Achmad Noorasyrul Noortaip (IND) | 286 | 1.69% | 16,890 | 5,638 | 64.87% |
| 2020 | N18 Inanam, P171 Sepanggar | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 1,606 | 9.51% | Terence Tsen Kim Fatt (PKAN) | 255 | 1.51% | 16,890 | 5,638 | 64.87% |
| 2020 | N18 Inanam, P171 Sepanggar | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 1,606 | 9.51% | Mohd Hardy Abdullah (USNO Baru) | 156 | 0.92% | 16,890 | 5,638 | 64.87% |
| 2020 | N18 Inanam, P171 Sepanggar | Chong Kah Kiat (LDP) | 1,606 | 9.51% | George Ngui (IND) | 54 | 0.32% | 16,890 | 5,638 | 64.87% |

## Honours
### Honours of Malaysia

* Malaysia :
** Companion of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (JSM) (1994)
** Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (2004)
* Sabah :
** Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (PGDK) – Datuk (1996)
** Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (2022)

## References and notes

* ↑ "A survivor of Sabah politics" Archived 26 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Daily Express, 14 April 2007.
* ↑ "Chong quits Cabinet" Archived 21 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Daily Express, 14 April 2007.
* ↑ "從政卅餘年對國家社會貢獻良多" Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Overseas Chinese Daily News, 17 April 2007.
* ↑ "Sabah [Parliament Results]". The Star. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
* ↑ "14th General Election Malaysia (GE14 / PRU14) – Results Overview". election.thestar.com.my.
* ↑ "N13 Inanam". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
* ↑ "N.18 INANAM". SPR Dashboard. 26 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
* ↑ "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat". Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
| Preceded byOsu Sukam | Chief Minister of Sabah 2001–2003 | Succeeded byMusa Aman |