Ng Yen Yen
Encyclopedia
Dato' Sri
Dr.
Ng Yen Yen is a Malaysian politician and the current Minister of Tourism in the Malaysian Cabinet
. She is the current Vice-President of Malaysian Chinese Association
(MCA). She was the chief of the Women's wing of the Malaysian Chinese Association
till 2008. Her appointment as minister marked a milestone as the first Malaysian Chinese
woman to hold a cabinet position.
native who was born in Kampung Kubang Pasu, Kota Bharu
. As a teenager, she had to give tuition to finance her Sixth Form education at the Victoria Institution
in Kuala Lumpur
.
Her father, who was old-fashioned, wanted to marry her off when she was 17 years old. Fortunately her mother stepped in and made sure Dr. Ng completed her education to whatever level she aspired.
Dr. Ng then graduated from Universiti Malaya in 1972 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). She was also awarded a Diploma of Reproductive Medicine
from the Johns Hopkins University
, USA.
Wanita MCA
chairman and the national MCA vice-president, the first woman to be elected to the post. Ng is now serving her third term as Raub
Member of Parliament
since she was elected for the post in the 1999 general election
. She was a former Deputy Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister, and Deputy Finance Minister (2003 and 2008).
She retained her parliamentary seat in the 2008 general elections
with a 2,752 majority against the Democratic Action Party
's Abu Bakar Lebai Sudin.
in the extraction method.
During the 2008 elections, Dr Ng, who is seeking her third term as MP for Raub, said she saw the gold mining project in Bukit Koman as a way of developing Raub into a tourist town and generating other economic activities much like the Australian city of Ballarat, where its legacy of wealth from the 19th century gold rush is still visible today.
“If the mine is not safe, I will be the first one to ask for its closure,” the Wanita MCA chief stressed.
. She was recommended to be a senator by the then MCA deputy president Lim Ah Lek. Her senatorship was from the Pahang state government under MCA's quota and her candidacy had to be endorsed by the Pahang
State executive council and Legislative Assembly. Ng took her oath of office as a senator in August 1993.
Ng's senatorship was scrutinized and it was found that she was a permanent resident of Australia
when she took the oath of loyalty to King and country to be appointed a senator. Before receiving her senatorship she had declared herself as a permanent resident of Australia in documents filed with the Australian authorities. She was still an Australian PR in between 1990 to 1995 during her tenure as a Malaysian Senator. Ng chose Tusmore
, Adelaide
, South Australia
as her place of residence and had been living in Australia for approximately three years.
In Australia, Ng teamed up with Soh Chee Wen, General (Rtd) Mohamed Ngah Said and two Australians to run stock-broking business via New South Wales-based company, Indo Pacific Securities Limited, from April 1992 through May 1995. She was a director of the company from April 1992 until she resigned in May 1995. In an interview to Malaysiakini
, Ng said she revoked her permanent residency in 1995, in her second year of senatorship, as she need not travel to Australia that frequently anymore. Thus, she said the question of her 'dual citizenship' does not hold anymore.
Ng has said that she obtained the PR status to facilitate her frequent travelling to Australia to look after her three sons who "were in their early formative years and studying there".
Lim Ah Lek, the person who had recommended Ng for the senatorship, has said that he was misled and regretted his decision, saying:
"Recommending someone who holds a PR in a foreign country for a senatorship brings disrepute to the Senate, and in this case, also to the Pahang exco and to the Legislative Assembly. I am shocked to learn about what was reported... I need to clarify this as my reputation is at stake,"
Rais Yatim, the then de-facto Law Minister of Malaysia, commended that Dr Ng Yen Yen’s past status as an Australian permanent resident while serving as senator was "morally untenable" though it is not legally wrong.
woman to hold a cabinet position and only the second minister in charge of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. She said her new job was more than handling women issues as it invariably also included men, children and the community.
She said she intended to have more participation from Malaysian men because they “made up the equation” where it would lead to strong families being formed and subsequently a better nation.
Among her initial plans are to educate the community on gender equality, beginning at school level; create a gender-friendly environment for working women; improve community development by working closely with the relevant non-governmental organisations; and also addressing issues faced by elderly women.
Dr. Ng said she would meet with her predecessor Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
to seek her advice.
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
's new cabinet on 9 April 2009.
Ng sparked an uproar in South East Asia, particularly among Singaporeans, for staking claims on food such as Laksa
, Bak kut teh
, Hainanese Chicken Rice
and Chilli crab
as uniquely Malaysia on September 2009 even though historical evidences have traced the origins of the food to elsewhere or shared among the neighbouring country. It was widely believed that her true intention was to garner attention in the wider community and likely to face legal issues if she continues to stake claims of the food. When she was asked about the uproar, she said she was surprised and was adamant on attracting tourists with the food, saying: "We cannot continue to let other countries hijack our food. We have to lay claim to our food."
Also, other papers have noted it would be highly difficult for Malaysia to brand these foods to their own, as tourists feel some food items originate from other areas and there are many unique variations. Several people also express concern and are highly critical over her remarks and warn lawsuits and prompt legal action against her could surface.
In October 2010 her it was revealed that the Tourism Ministry travel expenses ballooned by 40 per cent since 2008. This included RM1.6 million in 2009 and RM1.7 million in 2010 to date. This drew heavy criticism with accusations of her being more of a tourist than the Minister of Tourism. Some examples include a RM793,000 three day trip to Moscow, RM90000 three day trip to Singapore and a seven day RM431000 trip to the Chelsea Flower Show. It is an allegedly known as squandering act of Malaysia people's money.
Year 2011, she won the CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Tourism) Award 2011, in recognition of her contributions to Malaysia's national tourism industry over the years.
Malay titles
The Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still used extensively in Malaysia and Brunei. Singapore, whose Malay royalty was abolished by the British colonial government in 1891, has adopted civic titles for its leaders....
Dr.
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
Ng Yen Yen is a Malaysian politician and the current Minister of Tourism in the Malaysian Cabinet
Cabinet of Malaysia
The Cabinet of Malaysia is the executive branch of Malaysia's government. Led by the Prime Minister, the cabinet is a council of ministers who are accountable collectively to the Parliament. According to the Article 43 of the Constitution, members of the Cabinet can only be selected from members...
. She is the current Vice-President of Malaysian Chinese Association
Malaysian Chinese Association
Malaysian Chinese Association is a uni-racial political party in Malaysia that represents the Malaysian Chinese ethnicity; it is one of the three major component parties of the ruling coalition in Malaysia called the Barisan Nasional in Malay, or National Front in English.Along with the largest...
(MCA). She was the chief of the Women's wing of the Malaysian Chinese Association
Malaysian Chinese Association
Malaysian Chinese Association is a uni-racial political party in Malaysia that represents the Malaysian Chinese ethnicity; it is one of the three major component parties of the ruling coalition in Malaysia called the Barisan Nasional in Malay, or National Front in English.Along with the largest...
till 2008. Her appointment as minister marked a milestone as the first Malaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese is a Malaysian of Chinese origin. Most are descendants of Chinese who arrived between the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries. Within Malaysia, they are usually simply referred to as "Chinese" in all languages. The term Chinese Malaysian is also sometimes used to refer to...
woman to hold a cabinet position.
Early life
Dr. Ng is a KelantanKelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
native who was born in Kampung Kubang Pasu, Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, and lies...
. As a teenager, she had to give tuition to finance her Sixth Form education at the Victoria Institution
Victoria Institution
Victoria Institution is a premier secondary school for boys and one of the oldest schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The school is widely known as V.I. and a student of Victoria Institution bears the name Victorian....
in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
.
Her father, who was old-fashioned, wanted to marry her off when she was 17 years old. Fortunately her mother stepped in and made sure Dr. Ng completed her education to whatever level she aspired.
Dr. Ng then graduated from Universiti Malaya in 1972 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). She was also awarded a Diploma of Reproductive Medicine
Reproductive medicine
Reproductive medicine is a branch of medicine that deals with prevention, diagnosis and management of reproductive problems; goals include improving or maintaining reproductive health and allowing people to have children at a time of their choosing...
from the Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, USA.
Political involvement
Dr. Ng, currently is KelantanKelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
Wanita MCA
Malaysian Chinese Association
Malaysian Chinese Association is a uni-racial political party in Malaysia that represents the Malaysian Chinese ethnicity; it is one of the three major component parties of the ruling coalition in Malaysia called the Barisan Nasional in Malay, or National Front in English.Along with the largest...
chairman and the national MCA vice-president, the first woman to be elected to the post. Ng is now serving her third term as Raub
Raub
Raub is both a town and a district in Pahang, Malaysia. The town is situated 110 km from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur and 265 km from Pahang's capital, Kuantan. Raub is one of the oldest towns in Pahang. Raub district consist of 7 mukim , namely Batu Talam, Sega, Semantan Ulu,...
Member of Parliament
Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
since she was elected for the post in the 1999 general election
Malaysian general election, 1999
The 1999 Malaysian General Election was held on 29 November 1999 as stipulated by the laws of Malaysia for general elections. As expected, the Barisan Nasional coalition maintained its majority in parliament, and thus, its grip on the post of Prime Minister....
. She was a former Deputy Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister, and Deputy Finance Minister (2003 and 2008).
She retained her parliamentary seat in the 2008 general elections
Malaysian general election, 2008
The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...
with a 2,752 majority against the Democratic Action Party
Democratic Action Party
The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties...
's Abu Bakar Lebai Sudin.
Member of Parliament
Bukit Koman, an area under the Raub parliamentary constituency of which Ng is the member of, is notorious for its gold mining activity. Villagers of Kampung Bukit Koman have been facing health and environment problems after a gold mine operator started using cyanideCyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
in the extraction method.
During the 2008 elections, Dr Ng, who is seeking her third term as MP for Raub, said she saw the gold mining project in Bukit Koman as a way of developing Raub into a tourist town and generating other economic activities much like the Australian city of Ballarat, where its legacy of wealth from the 19th century gold rush is still visible today.
“If the mine is not safe, I will be the first one to ask for its closure,” the Wanita MCA chief stressed.
Senatorship
Before being a member of parliament, she was a senator in the Dewan NegaraDewan Negara
The Dewan Negara is the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia. The Dewan Negara consists of 70 members, of which 26 are indirectly elected by the states, with two senators for every state in the Federation, and the other 44 being appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong .The Dewan Negara...
. She was recommended to be a senator by the then MCA deputy president Lim Ah Lek. Her senatorship was from the Pahang state government under MCA's quota and her candidacy had to be endorsed by the Pahang
Pahang
Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...
State executive council and Legislative Assembly. Ng took her oath of office as a senator in August 1993.
Ng's senatorship was scrutinized and it was found that she was a permanent resident of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
when she took the oath of loyalty to King and country to be appointed a senator. Before receiving her senatorship she had declared herself as a permanent resident of Australia in documents filed with the Australian authorities. She was still an Australian PR in between 1990 to 1995 during her tenure as a Malaysian Senator. Ng chose Tusmore
Tusmore, South Australia
-History:In 1839, a pastoralist William Rogers, settled in the area and named his land Tusmore after his birthplace in Oxfordshire, England. In 1911 the area roughly corresponding to modern-day Tusmore, known as Section 291, was owned by the Colonial Board of Advice of the South Australian Company...
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
as her place of residence and had been living in Australia for approximately three years.
In Australia, Ng teamed up with Soh Chee Wen, General (Rtd) Mohamed Ngah Said and two Australians to run stock-broking business via New South Wales-based company, Indo Pacific Securities Limited, from April 1992 through May 1995. She was a director of the company from April 1992 until she resigned in May 1995. In an interview to Malaysiakini
Malaysiakini
Malaysiakini is a political news website published in English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil. Since its launch on November 20, 1999, it has been widely considered to be one of the leading non-government owned paid-news agencies in Malaysia. Compete.com estimates that Malaysiakini now attracts over...
, Ng said she revoked her permanent residency in 1995, in her second year of senatorship, as she need not travel to Australia that frequently anymore. Thus, she said the question of her 'dual citizenship' does not hold anymore.
Ng has said that she obtained the PR status to facilitate her frequent travelling to Australia to look after her three sons who "were in their early formative years and studying there".
Lim Ah Lek, the person who had recommended Ng for the senatorship, has said that he was misled and regretted his decision, saying:
"Recommending someone who holds a PR in a foreign country for a senatorship brings disrepute to the Senate, and in this case, also to the Pahang exco and to the Legislative Assembly. I am shocked to learn about what was reported... I need to clarify this as my reputation is at stake,"
Rais Yatim, the then de-facto Law Minister of Malaysia, commended that Dr Ng Yen Yen’s past status as an Australian permanent resident while serving as senator was "morally untenable" though it is not legally wrong.
Ministerial Positions
Dr. Ng is the first Malaysian ChineseMalaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese is a Malaysian of Chinese origin. Most are descendants of Chinese who arrived between the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries. Within Malaysia, they are usually simply referred to as "Chinese" in all languages. The term Chinese Malaysian is also sometimes used to refer to...
woman to hold a cabinet position and only the second minister in charge of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. She said her new job was more than handling women issues as it invariably also included men, children and the community.
She said she intended to have more participation from Malaysian men because they “made up the equation” where it would lead to strong families being formed and subsequently a better nation.
Among her initial plans are to educate the community on gender equality, beginning at school level; create a gender-friendly environment for working women; improve community development by working closely with the relevant non-governmental organisations; and also addressing issues faced by elderly women.
Dr. Ng said she would meet with her predecessor Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil is a Malaysian politician and the current Minister of Women, Family and Community Development in the Malaysian cabinet...
to seek her advice.
Minister of Tourism
She was subsequently appointed Minister of Tourism in Prime MinisterPrime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the...
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Najib Tun Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the sixth, and since 2009, Prime Minister of Malaysia. He previously held the post of Deputy Prime Minister from 7 January 2004 until he succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister on 3 April 2009. Najib is President of the United...
's new cabinet on 9 April 2009.
Ng sparked an uproar in South East Asia, particularly among Singaporeans, for staking claims on food such as Laksa
Laksa
Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup from the Peranakan culture, which is a merger of Chinese and Malay elements found in Malaysia and Singapore, and to a lesser extent Indonesia.- Origin :The origin of the name "laksa" is unclear...
, Bak kut teh
Bak kut teh
Bak-kut-teh is a Chinese soup popularly served in Malaysia, Singapore, Mainland China and Taiwan and also, neighbouring regions like Riau Islands and Southern Thailand.The name literally translates as "meat bone tea", and, at its simplest, consists of meaty pork ribs simmered in a complex broth...
, Hainanese Chicken Rice
Hainanese chicken rice
Hainanese chicken rice is a dish of Chinese origin most commonly associated with Hainanese and Singaporean cuisine, although it is also commonly sold in neighbouring Thailand and Malaysia...
and Chilli crab
Chilli crab
Chili crab is a seafood dish originating from Singapore. It was created in 1950 by Singapore chef, Cher Yam Tian with her husband, Lim Choon Ngee. The couple ran Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant on Upper East Coast Road Mud crabs are commonly used and are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and...
as uniquely Malaysia on September 2009 even though historical evidences have traced the origins of the food to elsewhere or shared among the neighbouring country. It was widely believed that her true intention was to garner attention in the wider community and likely to face legal issues if she continues to stake claims of the food. When she was asked about the uproar, she said she was surprised and was adamant on attracting tourists with the food, saying: "We cannot continue to let other countries hijack our food. We have to lay claim to our food."
Also, other papers have noted it would be highly difficult for Malaysia to brand these foods to their own, as tourists feel some food items originate from other areas and there are many unique variations. Several people also express concern and are highly critical over her remarks and warn lawsuits and prompt legal action against her could surface.
In October 2010 her it was revealed that the Tourism Ministry travel expenses ballooned by 40 per cent since 2008. This included RM1.6 million in 2009 and RM1.7 million in 2010 to date. This drew heavy criticism with accusations of her being more of a tourist than the Minister of Tourism. Some examples include a RM793,000 three day trip to Moscow, RM90000 three day trip to Singapore and a seven day RM431000 trip to the Chelsea Flower Show. It is an allegedly known as squandering act of Malaysia people's money.
Year 2011, she won the CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Tourism) Award 2011, in recognition of her contributions to Malaysia's national tourism industry over the years.