By Sherilyn Pang
SHAH ALAM, Dec 3 — State Investment, Industry and Commerce and Small and Medium Enterprise Committee chairman Dato’ Teng Chang Khim has today announced his exit from Malaysia’s political scene after 30 years of public service.
In a heartfelt posting on his Facebook page, Teng said he has decided not to seek re-election after completing his stint in the office after the dissolution of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly in the future, nor participate in the DAP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) election scheduled to be held this month.
“… it is my great pleasure to announce that I will not be participating in the DAP CEC election this year and the next DAP Selangor state committee election. I will also not seek re-election after the dissolution of Selangor State Legislative Assembly.
“I have approximately another two years in office and I will continue to work all out until the dissolution of the legislative assembly,” he said.
Teng joined the party after the 1990 general election, has experienced six general elections and was elected as assemblyman for 25 years as well as a CEC member for 24 years.
He has been the opposition leader in the state assembly and also assumed the role of the Speaker, setting an unprecedented record of a full cycle of an elected representative in the Selangor legislature in three different positions.
Reappointed as the Selangor executive councillor in 2018 after Pakatan Harapan claimed victory in the historic 14th General Election, Teng led the state of Selangor into becoming the largest contributor to the national gross development product (GDP) to the tune of 24.2 per cent in 2019.
The total approved investment for Selangor in 2018 and 2019 had also been the highest in the history of the state as a result of the councillor’s leadership buoyed by the support of his team of public servicemen in the past six years.
“I considered it to be divine intervention after pouring toil, tears and sweat over the years to build the state. Hence, I shall not yearn for anything further than that, except a graceful departure after completing my present term of office.
“It is time to conclude a chapter. I have relentlessly given the best of my ability to help build the nation, especially Selangor and I will leave it to the people and history to judge me.
In ending his tribute, Teng thanked his supporters for the care and support shown throughout his career.
“If I have ever achieved any accomplishments, the credit shall go to them,” he said, adding that his departure is in the best interest of the party and the nation as well as an opportunity to pave the way for new talents to rise up in the political arena.
