Liow Tiong Lai
Encyclopedia
Dato' Sri
Liow Tiong Lai is a Malaysian politician who is currently serving as the Health Minister
in the Malaysian cabinet
. He is the deputy president of the Malaysian Chinese Association
(MCA), a major component party of the Barisan Nasional
ruling coalition.
, Malacca
, Liow had ambitions of being a doctor but was thwarted by the university quota system under the New Economic Policy
and graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Nutrition) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
instead. He later obtained his MBA from the University of Malaya
.
He is married to Datin Sri Lee Sun Loo and has three children. He is a strong advocate of healthy eating, especially eating organic food.
in 1981. Soon after graduating from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
in 1986, he joined MCA as a research assistant with a monthly salary of RM700. He became press secretary and later political secretary to former MCA deputy president Lim Ah Lek from 1989 to 1999. After two decades of steady rise in the party, he was elected as MCA Youth chief in 2005 and was elected as a vice president in 2008.
Liow is also Bentong
Member of Parliament
, having held the parliamentary seat since 1999. In 2006, he was appointed Deputy Youth and Sports Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle. Following the 2008 general elections
, Liow became Minister of Health
under prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
. He remained in this position after Najib Tun Razak
assumed the premiership in April 2009.
and deputy president Chua Soi Lek
. Liow led a third faction pushing for new elections, but was unable to persuade two-thirds of the central committee to resign, which would have triggered an election under the party constitution.
The crisis came to a close after Dr Chua resigned on March 4, 2010. The subsequent election saw Dr Chua being elected president, while Liow defeated Kong Cho Ha
in the contest for deputy president.
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....
Liow Tiong Lai is a Malaysian politician who is currently serving as the Health Minister
Ministry of Health (Malaysia)
The Ministry of Health Malaysia is a ministry which established under the Malaysian government, and led by the incumbent Minister of Health. Currently, the Minister of Health is Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.-Vision:...
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...
. He is the deputy president 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...
(MCA), a major component party of the Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
ruling coalition.
Background
Born in JasinJasin
Jasin District is one of the three districts in the State of Malacca, Malaysia. The other two are the Central Malacca district and the Alor Gajah district. Jasin District is the southernmost of the three districts, and borders the State of Johor. Jasin is also the name of the main town in the...
, Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
, Liow had ambitions of being a doctor but was thwarted by the university quota system under the New Economic Policy
Malaysian New Economic Policy
The Malaysian New Economic Policy , was an ambitious and controversial socio-economic restructuring affirmative action program launched by the Malaysian government in 1971 under the then Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak. The NEP ended in 1990, and was succeeded by the National Development Policy in...
and graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Nutrition) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
The National University of Malaysia is a public university located in Bangi, Selangor which is about 35 km south of Kuala Lumpur...
instead. He later obtained his MBA from the University of Malaya
University of Malaya
The University of Malaya is located on a campus near the centre of Kuala Lumpur, and is the oldest university in Malaysia. It was founded in 1905 as a public-funded tertiary institution...
.
He is married to Datin Sri Lee Sun Loo and has three children. He is a strong advocate of healthy eating, especially eating organic food.
Political involvement
Liow officially joined the Malaysian Chinese AssociationMalaysian 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...
in 1981. Soon after graduating from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
The National University of Malaysia is a public university located in Bangi, Selangor which is about 35 km south of Kuala Lumpur...
in 1986, he joined MCA as a research assistant with a monthly salary of RM700. He became press secretary and later political secretary to former MCA deputy president Lim Ah Lek from 1989 to 1999. After two decades of steady rise in the party, he was elected as MCA Youth chief in 2005 and was elected as a vice president in 2008.
Liow is also Bentong
Bentong
Bentong is both a town and a district in Pahang, Malaysia. The district covers an area of 1,831 km². It is located 80 km northeast of Kuala Lumpur, just across the main range, Titiwangsa Mountains. The original main street going into Bentong town has been modified to a dual carriageway...
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...
, having held the parliamentary seat since 1999. In 2006, he was appointed Deputy Youth and Sports Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle. Following 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...
, Liow became Minister of Health
Ministry of Health (Malaysia)
The Ministry of Health Malaysia is a ministry which established under the Malaysian government, and led by the incumbent Minister of Health. Currently, the Minister of Health is Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.-Vision:...
under prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...
. He remained in this position after 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...
assumed the premiership in April 2009.
MCA crisis
From late 2009 to early 2010, Liow became embroiled in a leadership crisis in MCA, vocally opposing the "Greater Unity Plan," a temporary political alliance between the factions aligned to then-president Ong Tee KeatOng Tee Keat
Dato' Sri Ong Tee Keat is a Malaysian politician and current Member of Parliament for Pandan. He was the Transport Minister in the Malaysian federal cabinet from March 18, 2008 to June 4, 2010. He was the 8th president of the Malaysian Chinese Association .-Personal life:The son of a fishmonger,...
and deputy president Chua Soi Lek
Chua Soi Lek
Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek ; born 2 January 1947, also known as Chua Kin Seng, is a Malaysian politician from the state of Johor. He is married to Datin Seri Wong Sek Hin. They have three children...
. Liow led a third faction pushing for new elections, but was unable to persuade two-thirds of the central committee to resign, which would have triggered an election under the party constitution.
The crisis came to a close after Dr Chua resigned on March 4, 2010. The subsequent election saw Dr Chua being elected president, while Liow defeated Kong Cho Ha
Kong Cho Ha
Dato' Seri Kong Cho Ha is a Malaysian politician and is currently the Minister for Transport in the Barisan Nasional coalition government of Najib Tun Razak and the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Lumut constituency in Perak. He is a member of the Malaysian Chinese Association .Kong...
in the contest for deputy president.