Kerk Kim Hock

Kerk Kim Hock (Chinese: 郭金福; pinyin: Guō Jīnfú; 29 July 1956 – 9 August 2017)[1] was a Malaysian politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Kota Melaka from December 1999 to March 2004 and Pasir Panji from October 1990 to December 1999. He served as Member of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly for Durian Daun from August 1986 to October 1990. He also served as the 4th Secretary-General of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) from December 1999 to his retirement from politics in March 2004,[2] DAP is a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) opposition coalition. He was also a mechanical engineer by profession.

Kerk Kim Hock
郭金福
4th Secretary-General of the Democratic Action Party
In office December 1999 – 28 March 2004
Preceded by	Lim Kit Siang
Succeeded by	Lim Guan Eng
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Kota Melaka
In office 29 November 1999 – 21 March 2004
Preceded by	Lim Guan Eng
Succeeded by	Wong Nai Chee
Majority	9,389 (1999)
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Pasir Pinji
In office 20 October 1990 – 29 November 1999
Preceded by	Lau Dak Kee
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Majority	17,953 (1990)
Member of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly for Durian Daun
In office 3 August 1986 – 20 October 1990
Preceded by	Unknown
Succeeded by	Jew Kok Kee
Majority	4,808 (1986)
Personal details
Born	Kerk Kim Hock 29 July 1956 Malacca, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
Died	9 August 2017 (aged 61) Malacca, Malaysia
Citizenship	Malaysian
Political party	Democratic Action Party (DAP)
Other political affiliations	Barisan Alternatif (BA) Gagasan Rakyat (GR)
Spouse(s)	Mook Kwai Mei
Children	Kerk Chee Yee (son) Kerk Chee Wan (daughter)
Occupation	Politician, Mechanical engineer

Political career

Kerk Kim Hock was elected in 1986 as the state assemblyman for Durian Daun, Malacca. In 1987, he was detained for 60 days without trial under the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) as part of Operasi Lalang, a government sponsored crackdown that saw the arrest of many people, including activists, intellectuals and opposition politicians.[3][4][5] In 1990 he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Pasir Pinji, Perak but in 1995 he lost the Ipoh Timor parliamentary seat by a slim 292 vote majority. Kerk won the Kota Melaka, Malacca parliamentary seat in 1999 later but lost it in the 2004 general election by a slim 219 vote majority again. He then officially retired from Malaysian politics on 28 March 2004.[6]

Kerk's son, Kerk Chee Yee, was elected as state assemblyman for the Ayer Keroh seat in the 2018 Malaysian general election. He served in the state executive council as Communications, Multimedia, NGO, Youth and Sports Committee chairman from 16 May 2018 until 2 March 2020 during the political crisis.

Health and death

He was diagnosed with Stage 1 rectal cancer in 2002. After 5 years of battle with cancer, he was announced cancer-free on 25 May 2007.[7] But in 2015, he was diagnosed again with cancer.[8]

Kerk died at 6.10 pm on 9 August 2017 at the age of 61 at his home in Taman Kenanga Seksyen 3, Melaka Tengah District of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) from surgery complications three days after slipping into a coma.[9][10][11][12]

Election results

Malacca State Legislative Assembly[13][14]

Year	Constituency	Opposition		Votes	Pct	Government		Votes	Pct	Other		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1986	N.15 Durian Daun P.113 Kota Melaka.		Kerk Kim Hock (DAP)	7,842	68.56%		Lai See Liong (MCA)	3,034	26.51%		Low Kim Seng (PPPM)	111	0.97%	11,438	4,808	73.84%
											Yong Wee Yook @ Yong Wee Ngok (IND)	215	1.88%

Parliament of Malaysia[13][14]

Year	Constituency	Opposition		Votes	Pct	Government		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1990	P.58 Pasir Pinji, Perak.		Kerk Kim Hock (DAP)	31,643	69.80%		Chew Wai Khoon (MCA)	13,690	30.20%	46,115	17,953	67.27%
1995	P.61 Ipoh Timor, Perak.		Kerk Kim Hock (DAP)	23,837	49.70%		Chang Kon You @ Chen Kwan Wu (MCA)	24,129	50.30%	49,233	292	66.68%
1999	P.123 Kota Melaka, Malacca.		Kerk Kim Hock (DAP)	33,472	58.16%		Lim Swee Kiang (MCA)	24,083	41.84%	58,921	9,389	77.15%
2004	P.138 Kota Melaka, Malacca.		Kerk Kim Hock (DAP)	30,998	49.82%		Wong Nai Chee (MCA)	31,217	50.18%	64,391	219	77.78%

References

1. https://www.roketkini.com/2017/08/09/mengenang-kerk-kim-hock-semangat-dap-yang-berani/
2. "Former UKM Student Activist Loke Siew Fook appointed as Political Secretary to DAP Secretary General, YB Kerk Kim Hock". Democratic Action Party Media Announcement. 16 July 2002. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
3. Philip Mathews, ed. (2014). "63 detained as threat to national security". Chronicle of Malaysia: Fifty Years of Headline News, 1963-2013. Didier Millet,Csi. p. 192. ISBN 978-9671061749.
4. Anek Laothamatas (1997). Democratization in Southeast and East Asia. St. Martin's Press. p. 69. ISBN 978-0312173647.
5. "Karpal is a true hero of the people - Kerk Kim Hock". The Malaysian Insider. 1 May 2014. Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
6. Sharanjit Singh (13 March 2005). "No regrets leaving politics, says Kerk". New Straits Times. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
7. Marsha Tan (1 June 2007). "Kerk gets a twin surprise". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
8. "Kerk Kim Hock - a patriot who was true to his principles". Malaysiakini. 10 August 2017.
9. "Former DAP sec-gen Kerk Kim Hock dies". The Star Online. 9 August 2017.
10. "Bekas Setiausaha Agung DAP Kerk Kim Hock meninggal dunia". Malaysiakini (in Malay). 9 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
11. Kumar, Kamles (9 August 2017). "Former DAP sec-gen Kerk Kim Hock passes away". Malay Mail Online.
12. Koh, Kelly (9 August 2017). "Former DAP sec-gen Kerk Kim Hock dies". Yahoo News.
13. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri". Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 11 July 2010. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
14. "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Results only available from the 2004 election.