Kerk Kim Hock

Kerk Kim Hock (Chinese: 郭金福; pinyin: Guō Jīnfú; Jyutping: Gwok3 Gam1 Fuk1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Keh Kim-hok; 29 July 1956 – 9 August 2017)[1] was a Malaysian politician and mechanical engineer 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 (MLA) 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] Kerk's retirement coincided with the DAP leaving the Barisan Alternatif opposition coalition that the party had co-founded in 1998. He was also the father of Kerk Chee Yee, the Deputy Speaker of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly and MLA for Ayer Keroh.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Kerk (郭).
Kerk Kim Hock
郭金福
4th Secretary-General of the
Democratic Action Party
In office
3 December 1999 – 28 March 2004
Preceded byLim Kit Siang
Succeeded byLim Guan Eng
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Kota Melaka
In office
29 November 1999 – 21 March 2004
Preceded byLim Guan Eng
Succeeded byWong Nai Chee
Majority9,389 (1999)
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Pasir Pinji
In office
20 October 1990 – 29 November 1999
Preceded byLau Dak Kee
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Majority17,953 (1990)
Member of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly
for Durian Daun
In office
3 August 1986 – 20 October 1990
Preceded byUnknown
Succeeded byJew Kok Kee
Majority4,808 (1986)
Personal details
Born
Kerk Kim Hock

(1956-07-29)29 July 1956
Malacca, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
Died9 August 2017(2017-08-09) (aged 61)
Malacca, Malaysia
CitizenshipMalaysian
Political partyDemocratic Action Party (DAP)
Other political
affiliations		Barisan Alternatif (BA)
Gagasan Rakyat (GR)
SpouseMook Kwai Mei
ChildrenKerk Chee Yee (son)
Kerk Chee Wan (daughter)
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionMechanical engineer

Political career

He 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 MP 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]

Personal life

Kerk was married to Mook Kwai Mei and the couple has two children; a son and a daughter. Kerk's son, Kerk Chee Yee has followed his footstep to join politics was elected as state assemblyman for the Ayer Keroh seat in the 2018 Malaysian general election (GE14). 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 Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1986 N15 Durian Daun Kerk Kim Hock (DAP) 7,842 68.56% Lai See Liong (MCA) 3,034 26.51% 11,438 4,808 73.84%
Low Kim Seng (PPPM) 111 0.97%
Yong Wee Yook @ Yong Wee Ngok
(IND)		 215 1.88%
Parliament of Malaysia[13][14]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1990 P058 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 P061 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 P123 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 P138 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. "Mengenang Kerk Kim Hock – semangat DAP yang berani". 9 August 2017.
  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.
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