Hee Yit Foong
Encyclopedia
Hee Yit Foong is a Malaysian politician who is infamous for her role in the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis
by resigning from the Democratic Action Party
which she represented in the Malaysia General Election in 2008 and becoming an independent aligned with the ruling Barisan Nasional
. Her dramatic action was seen as an act of betrayal by many in her Jelapang constituency and has earned her unpleasant nicknames from the angry voters and Malaysian public such as ‘traitor’ and ‘frog’. She served as Deputy Speaker of the Perak State Legislative Assembly from March 2008 to February 2009. She was a member of the opposition Democratic Action Party from the late 1980s until her resignation in February 2009 which subsequently caused the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis. She is also currently one of a handful of Malaysian politicians with a hatred Facebook group devoted to her.
Hee walks with a limp from a case of polio she contracted at the age of 4. She was state assemblywoman for Jelapang
and was the first disabled woman to become the speaker
of a Malaysian legislative body.
government. She announced that she would support the Barisan National coalition instead. This has prompted a political crisis in the state. Malaysian Insider which is one of the independent, non-mainstream online newspapers in Malaysia published an article entitled 'Remember the four frogs that fooled all' describing that Malaysians would always remember the four (one of whom is Hee Yit Foong which now branded as Ng Sam Kwai) who had caused the downfall of the Perak
government governed by the Pakatan Rakyat
by defection not by fresh mandate from the people in their constituencies.
Hee in her interview with the Sin Chew defended her action of defecting as being sidelined by the leaders of the Democratic Action Party
(DAP) in her state. However, the following day, Perak
DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming, told Sin Chew that DAP not only had groomed her from a largely unknown person into a state assemblywoman, but had also made her the first non-Malay female deputy speaker in the country's history and he would have nothing further to comment if Hee still insists that her action is right. After all, she would be the one who needs to face the people in her constituency and hometown in Jelapang
. Many different objects have been thrown, hung and left at her home and service centre while an effigy of her was also burnt in a mock Chinese funeral rite following her defection and resignation from DAP.
Hee, the first non-Malay woman deputy speaker in Malaysia, was said to have been unhappy with the state party leadership for not being selected for a state exco seat, and because she did not get a new official car when the Pakatan Rakyat
government bought Toyota Camrys to replace an ageing fleet of Proton Perdana
s. On 9 February 2009, Malaysia Insider reported that Hee, who has been the subject of ridicule and abuse in and around her Ipoh
hometown as well as in cyberspace, would be getting the Camry after all as it confirmed that two of the new exco members will be Chinese
, with the other being Chenderiang
state assemblyman Dr Mah Hang Soon, who is also MCA Youth deputy chief.
On the 7th of March 2009, Hee showed up at her Jelapang
service centre for the first time since her defection. A group of people were really angry upon knowing that she was there, started hurling abuses at her such as being "traitor" and "an ungrateful woman". Hee had to leave the service centre hurriedly after 45 minutes because she feared for her safety. Besides that a silver Mercedes Benz bearing a Kuala Lumpur
car plate was seen parked and was the transport for Hee to the service centre. Also, it was said that Hee would be moving her service centre in the near future as the owner would no longer rent the place to her.
.
. With obvious evidence of a photo and recordings, Hee remains ignorant and insisted that she was just holding on to a handy drive. A video uploaded to YouTube clearly shows her holding and using pepper spray in the direction of assemblyman Yew Tian Hoe, not a handy drive as she has claimed earlier. She claims she was only holding it up to demand if Yew was the person who threw the pepper spray at her although video recordings clearly show her not uttering a single word to Yew during the incident. She also claims not to know how to operate the device although she seems to operate the pepper spray without flaw as seen in the same video.
2009 Perak constitutional crisis
The 2009 Perak constitutional crisis was a political dispute in Malaysia regarding the legitimacy of the Perak state government formed in February 2009. It began when three Pakatan Rakyat state legislators defected, causing a collapse of the state government...
by resigning from 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...
which she represented in the Malaysia General Election in 2008 and becoming an independent aligned with the ruling 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...
. Her dramatic action was seen as an act of betrayal by many in her Jelapang constituency and has earned her unpleasant nicknames from the angry voters and Malaysian public such as ‘traitor’ and ‘frog’. She served as Deputy Speaker of the Perak State Legislative Assembly from March 2008 to February 2009. She was a member of the opposition Democratic Action Party from the late 1980s until her resignation in February 2009 which subsequently caused the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis. She is also currently one of a handful of Malaysian politicians with a hatred Facebook group devoted to her.
Hee walks with a limp from a case of polio she contracted at the age of 4. She was state assemblywoman for Jelapang
Jelapang, Perak
Jelapang is a town in Kinta district, Perak, Malaysia. It is a northern suburb of Ipoh, the state capital.It is also the site of the infamous Jelapang toll plaza of the North-South Expressway. The toll plaza is "infamous" due to its reputation as an accident-prone area...
and was the first disabled woman to become the speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of a Malaysian legislative body.
Political career
On 4 February 2009, she was one of four assembly people who withdrew their support from the incumbent Pakatan RakyatPakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
government. She announced that she would support the Barisan National coalition instead. This has prompted a political crisis in the state. Malaysian Insider which is one of the independent, non-mainstream online newspapers in Malaysia published an article entitled 'Remember the four frogs that fooled all' describing that Malaysians would always remember the four (one of whom is Hee Yit Foong which now branded as Ng Sam Kwai) who had caused the downfall of the Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
government governed by the Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
by defection not by fresh mandate from the people in their constituencies.
Hee in her interview with the Sin Chew defended her action of defecting as being sidelined by the leaders of 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...
(DAP) in her state. However, the following day, Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming, told Sin Chew that DAP not only had groomed her from a largely unknown person into a state assemblywoman, but had also made her the first non-Malay female deputy speaker in the country's history and he would have nothing further to comment if Hee still insists that her action is right. After all, she would be the one who needs to face the people in her constituency and hometown in Jelapang
Jelapang, Perak
Jelapang is a town in Kinta district, Perak, Malaysia. It is a northern suburb of Ipoh, the state capital.It is also the site of the infamous Jelapang toll plaza of the North-South Expressway. The toll plaza is "infamous" due to its reputation as an accident-prone area...
. Many different objects have been thrown, hung and left at her home and service centre while an effigy of her was also burnt in a mock Chinese funeral rite following her defection and resignation from DAP.
Hee, the first non-Malay woman deputy speaker in Malaysia, was said to have been unhappy with the state party leadership for not being selected for a state exco seat, and because she did not get a new official car when the Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
government bought Toyota Camrys to replace an ageing fleet of Proton Perdana
Proton Perdana
The Proton Perdana is an intermediate-size automobile produced by Proton. It is a badge engineered version of the seventh-generation Mitsubishi Eterna. Perdana is a Malay word for "Prime".- Perdana SEi :...
s. On 9 February 2009, Malaysia Insider reported that Hee, who has been the subject of ridicule and abuse in and around her Ipoh
Ipoh
Ipoh is the capital city of Perak state, Malaysia. It is approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur on the North-South Expressway....
hometown as well as in cyberspace, would be getting the Camry after all as it confirmed that two of the new exco members will be Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
, with the other being Chenderiang
Chenderiang
Chenderiang is a small town in Perak, Malaysia. The town is located approximately 14 kilometres from Tapah town....
state assemblyman Dr Mah Hang Soon, who is also MCA Youth deputy chief.
On the 7th of March 2009, Hee showed up at her Jelapang
Jelapang, Perak
Jelapang is a town in Kinta district, Perak, Malaysia. It is a northern suburb of Ipoh, the state capital.It is also the site of the infamous Jelapang toll plaza of the North-South Expressway. The toll plaza is "infamous" due to its reputation as an accident-prone area...
service centre for the first time since her defection. A group of people were really angry upon knowing that she was there, started hurling abuses at her such as being "traitor" and "an ungrateful woman". Hee had to leave the service centre hurriedly after 45 minutes because she feared for her safety. Besides that a silver Mercedes Benz bearing a 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...
car plate was seen parked and was the transport for Hee to the service centre. Also, it was said that Hee would be moving her service centre in the near future as the owner would no longer rent the place to her.
.
7th May State Assembly
Apart from that, Hee also attacked a handicapped state member of the Pakatan Rakyat with pepper sprayPepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
. With obvious evidence of a photo and recordings, Hee remains ignorant and insisted that she was just holding on to a handy drive. A video uploaded to YouTube clearly shows her holding and using pepper spray in the direction of assemblyman Yew Tian Hoe, not a handy drive as she has claimed earlier. She claims she was only holding it up to demand if Yew was the person who threw the pepper spray at her although video recordings clearly show her not uttering a single word to Yew during the incident. She also claims not to know how to operate the device although she seems to operate the pepper spray without flaw as seen in the same video.