Boo Cheng Hau

In this Chinese name, the family name is Boo (巫).
Dr.
Boo Cheng Hau
巫程豪
Member of the Johor State Legislative Assembly
for Skudai
In office
8 March 2008 – 9 May 2018
Preceded byTeo Eng Tee
(BN–Gerakan)
Succeeded byTan Hong Pin
(PH–DAP)
Majority12,854 (2008)
18,050 (2013)
Personal details
Born (1964-10-01) 1 October 1964 (age 60)
Johor Bahru, Malaysia
CitizenshipMalaysian
Political partyDemocratic Action Party (1994–)
Other political
affiliations		Pakatan Harapan (PH) (2015–)
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) (2008-2015)
Barisan Alternatif (BA) (1999-2004)
Gagasan Rakyat (GR) (1994-1996)
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionDoctor
Websitedrboochenghau.blogspot.com
Boo Cheng Hau on Facebook

Dr. Boo Cheng Hau (Chinese: 巫程豪; pinyin: Wū Chéngháo; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Bû Thêng-hô; born 1 October 1964) is a Malaysian politician of Democratic Action Party (DAP). He has served as Member of the Johor State Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Skudai for two terms from March 2008 to May 2018.

Background and personal life

Dr. Boo is a family physician who holds three bachelor degrees in Chemistry from Iowa State University of Ames; the Medicine and Surgery from University of the West Indies of Jamaica and Law from University of London respectively.[1][2]

He is a practicing medical doctor by profession. On 25 October 2011, his clinic in Taman Universiti, Skudai, Johor Bahru, was broken into resulting with a loss of RM800.[3] The Royal Malaysia Police (RMP)'s Deputy Johor CID chief, ACP Che Yusoff Che Ngah said the incident involved a clinic worker noticed about 8 am before the police received a report about an hour later. Dr Boo when interviewed, said the incident involved the first time since the clinic opened 13 years ago.[4]

In December 2020, Dr. Boo was tested positive for the COVID-19 and had recovered from the decease infection since.[5]

Politics

He previously and first contested the Skudai state seat in Johor on the DAP party ticket in the 1999 general election and the 2004 general election but had lost both the contests to the Barisan Nasional (BN). In the 2008 general election, he contested the Skudai state seat again and won to be an assemblyman for Skudai constituency. He retained the seat in the following 2013 general election (GE13). He has been the opposition leader for representing Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in Johor State Legislative Assembly from 2008 till 2015.[2]

Dr. Boo was not nominated by DAP as a candidate to contest in the 2018 general election (GE14).[6]

Controversies and issues

In February 2013, an open verbal conflict erupted between Dr. Boo as Johor DAP chairman and Johor People's Justice Party (PKR) chairman Chua Jui Meng, prompting calls from both DAP and PKR party heavyweights to weigh in for their party stalwarts. This as a result of accusations from either side of splitting Pakatan Rakyat in the state of Johor.[7][8] The conflict was resolved after talks and mediation by the central leadership of both parties for reconciliation was DAP to unconditionally support for PKR's Chua to contest in the Segamat constituency in GE13.[9][10][11] The traditionally DAP seat was switched for Gelang Patah seat which was where the Skudai state seat located; in order to be contested and later won by its adviser and veteran Lim Kit Siang to be its new Member of Parliament (MP) instead.[12]

In 2018, Dr. Boo on the contrary turned down the party's plan to field him in the Labis parliamentary seat which is in Segamat district, Johor and subsequently he was also dropped as candidate to contest his existing Skudai state seat or any other seat in the GE14.[6][13] Meanwhile DAP replacement candidate for the Labis seat, another former Johor DAP chairman Pang Hok Liong had instead successfully win the traditional Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA)-BN stronghold for the first time to be a newly elected MP.[14][15] Amidst being disappointed, Dr. Boo apparently remains loyal to DAP despite his continuous criticism of the party's leadership and Kit Siang, the new MP for Iskandar Puteri (formerly Gelang Patah).[16][17]

In 2021, Dr. Boo had made critical and controversially remarks in a Johor DAP private WhatsApp group towards his party MP, Hannah Yeoh for Segambut actions for donning the headscarf or 'selendang' and her Malay attire when she was visiting a mosque in her constituency.[18] In response, DAP secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng said Yeoh's attire was not wrong to respect other religions and their worship places in reprimanding and slamming Dr. Boo remarks which are not only gender-insensitive but also runs the risk of portraying DAP leaders as being just as intolerant and regressive as the "extremist" and "primitive" Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) leaders.[19] Dr. Boo remains to be adamant and polemical accused it as an "superficial political gimmicks" attempt to "appease a certain race", while he opined that DAP should be sincere and equal towards every race.[20][21]

Election results

Johor State Legislative Assembly[22][23][24][25][26]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1999 N38 Skudai Boo Cheng Hau (DAP) 11,875 33.25% Khoo Kong Ek (Gerakan) 23,042 64.51% 35,719 11,167 75.63%
2004 N48 Skudai Boo Cheng Hau (DAP) 13,380 45.30% Teo Eng Tee (Gerakan) 15,573 52.72% 29,539 2,193 73.00%
2008 Boo Cheng Hau (DAP) 23,214 68.22% Teo Eng Tee (Gerakan) 10,270 30.18% 34,029 12,854 77.00%
2013 Boo Cheng Hau (DAP) 33,692 67.58% Liang Ah Chy (MCA) 15,642 31.37% 49,859 18,050 88.00%

References

  1. ^ "Dr. Boo Cheng Hau's Trilingual Blog: SAY WHAT YOU LIKE". Dr. Boo Cheng Hau. 1 November 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2016 – via Blogger.
  2. ^ a b "Dr Boo Cheng Hau". PRU Di Sinar (in Malay). Sinar Harian. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Klinik ADUN Skudai dipecah masuk" (in Malay). Malaysiakini. 25 October 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  4. ^ "Thieves break into assemblyman's clinic". The Star. 25 October 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  5. ^ "DAP's Dr Boo making good recovery after catching Covid-19". Malaysiakini. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b Nelson Benjamin (15 April 2018). "Despite being dropped, Boo says he remains a die-hard DAP man". The Star. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  7. ^ Lee & Gasper, Regina & Desiree Tresa (20 February 2013). "Pakatan top brass weigh in on feud between Dr. Boo and Chua". The Star.
  8. ^ Gasper & Wong, Desiree Tresa & Pek Mei. "Johor DAP-PKR spat gets serious". The Star. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  9. ^ Pragalath, K. "DAP, PKR join forces for Battle Segamat". Free Malaysia Today. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  10. ^ "GE13: Johor PKR chief Chua Jui Meng to contest in Segamat". The Star. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  11. ^ "Chua Jui Meng calon PKR di Segamat" (in Malay). Astro Awani. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  12. ^ Desiree Tresa Gasper (1 April 2013). "GE13: Gelang Patah has equal mix of races, says Dr Boo". The Star. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  13. ^ Nelson Benjamin & Steven Daniel (14 April 2018). "Dr Boo dropped from Skudai seat, replaced by protege". The Star. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  14. ^ "Snubbed by Dr Boo, DAP brings in another ex-Johor chief for Labis". Malaysiakini. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  15. ^ Tan Hui Yee (10 May 2018). "Leaders of BN's ethnic minority parties lose parliamentary seats". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  16. ^ Nelson Benjamin (16 April 2018). "Dr Boo: I will remain in DAP". The Star. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  17. ^ Rizalman Hammim (9 May 2018). "DAP's Dr Boo gets death threat for criticising Kit Siang". New Straits Times. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  18. ^ "Hannah's hijab ignites latest salvo in DAP's battle to embrace diversity". Malaysiakini. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  19. ^ "Guan Eng slams Johor DAP leader over remarks on Hannah Yeoh's mosque visit". Free Malaysia Today. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  20. ^ "'Superficial' clothing not needed for support, Boo tells 'Dr M yes man' Guan Eng". Malaysiakini. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Wearing a headscarf in a mosque won't change my race or faith - Yeoh". Malaysiakini. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  22. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  23. ^ "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Results only available from the 2004 election.
  24. ^ "KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 13". Sistem Pengurusan Maklumat Pilihan Raya Umum (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 14 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  25. ^ "my undi : Kawasan & Calon-Calon PRU13 : Keputusan PRU13 (Archived copy)". www.myundi.com.my. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  26. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13". Utusan Malaysia. Archived from the original on 21 March 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2014.