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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) 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. 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.

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. 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.

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 II rectal cancer in 2002. After 5 years of battle with cancer, he was announced cancer-free on 25 May 2007. But in 2015, he was diagnosed again with cancer.

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.

Election results

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.

• 1956 births
• 2017 deaths
• Malacca politicians
• Malaysian engineers
• Democratic Action Party (Malaysia) politicians
• Members of the Malacca State Legislative Assembly
• Malaysian politicians of Chinese descent
• Deaths from thrombosis
• Malaysian MPs 1990–1995
• Malaysian MPs 1999–2004