GEORGE TOWN: Former three-term Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Lee Hack Teik of the MCA has passed away. He was 72.
Lee passed away at his home in Air Itam at 9.16pm on Monday (Nov 18) due to a heart attack.
Penang MCA chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng said as an assemblyman from 1995 to 2008, Lee was known in the community for his tireless presence.
"He would ride his motorcycle daily, reaching out to his constituents without fail.
"He went directly to the people, often navigating the streets and neighbourhoods on his motorcycle to stay connected with the grassroots.
"It was symbolic of his hands-on, no-frills approach to his constituents.
"Lee was a hardworking and service-oriented assemblyman who embodied the true spirit of public service," he said when contacted on Tuesday (Nov 19).
Lee, who won the state seat in 1995, 1999, and 2004, was known for using catchy slogans during election campaigns in Penang to reach the largely Hokkien-speaking community.
He once used the phrase "ang koo lak liap" (six red glutinous rice cakes) in Hokkien or "an ju le ye" (Mandarin for harmonious life and successful career).
Another campaign phrase he used was “huat kueh pek tay”, which means “eight pieces of prosperity cakes” but also sounds like “to prosper and buy land” in Hokkien.
Tan said Lee also came out to lend his support for MCA's Tanjong parliamentary candidate Tam Kim Nee during GE15 in 2022.
Pengkalan Kota is one of the three state seats under the Tanjong constituency.
"His familiarity with the constituency was so good. He knew the area like the back of his hand, a testament to his deep-rooted connection with the community," said Tan.
Lee's wake will be at 37-K Lorong Zoo Tiga, 11500 Air Itam, Penang.
The funeral procession will take place at 2pm on Friday (Nov 22), after which his remains will be cremated at the Batu Gantung Crematorium in Jalan Batu Gantung, George Town.
