Chang Lih Kang (, born 23 October 1980) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since December 2022 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tanjong Malim since May 2018. He served as Member of the Perak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Teja from March 2008 to May 2018. He is a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the PH coalition and has served as a Vice President of PKR since December 2018.
Personal life and education Chang holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from University of Putra Malaysia and a Master in Public Administration from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. He has a net worth of RM1 million as of September 2022.
Political career Chang Lih Kang joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat shortly after he graduated from university and made his debut in the 2008 General Election. He won the Teja state seat with a 175 vote majority. He would go on to defend the seat with a larger majority in 2013. In 2018, Chang decided to contest for the Tanjong Malim parliamentary seat, which was a Barisan Nasional stronghold and would go on and win the seat with a 5,000 over majority.
Chang was appointed as a Vice President of PKR by Anwar Ibrahim in 2018. In the 2022 party election, he would go on and contest and successfully got elected as one of the Vice Presidents of PKR after securing 34,939 votes, finishing second behind Amirudin Shari, thus making him the highest ranked ethnic Chinese and fourth highest position in the party.
In the 2022 general election, Chang Lih Kang successfully retained his Tanjong Malim federal seat, albeit with a smaller majority against Malaysian Chinese Association Deputy President Mah Hang Soon. Following the appointment of Anwar Ibrahim as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Chang was appointed as the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of Malaysia.
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation
In his capacity as minister, Chang Lih Kang launched the Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap (HETR), which is set to address the 3 critical energy challenges - reliability, affordability and sustainability. The roadmap is a blueprint for new technologies and innovations in energy transition, embracing the potential of the hydrogen economy.
In August 2023, Chang said the Ekonomi Malaysia Madani plan is a strategic approach drive innovation in the country, in which he sets out the aim for a gross expenditure on Research & Development (GERD) of 3.5% by 2030 and aims for Malaysia to rank among the top 20 in the Global Innovation Index (GII) by 2025.
Election results + Perak State Legislative Assembly Percentage figures based on total turnout. Results only available from the 2004 election.YearConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout2008N45 Teja (PKR)6,53349.28%Yew Sau Kham (MCA)6,358 47.96%13,258 17568.50%2013Chang Lih Kang (PKR)9,73254.44%Yew Sau Kham (MCA)7,65042.79%17,877 2,082 80.80%
+ Parliament of Malaysia Percentage figures based on total turnout. Percentage figures based on total turnout.YearConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout2018P077 Tanjong Malim (PKR)24,67245.44%Mah Hang Soon (MCA)19,31435.57%55,6135,35881.22%Mohd Tarmizi Ab Rahman (PAS)10,31118.99%2022Chang Lih Kang (PKR)25,140 36.08%Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi (BERSATU) 21,599 31.00%69,6713,541 74.22% Mah Hang Soon (MCA)20,963 30.09%Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (IND)1,032 1.48%Amir Hamzah Abdul Rajak (IMAN) 609 0.87%Ishak Zuhari (IND)328 0.47%
Honours Honours of Malaysia
Recipient of the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal
Commander of the Order of the Territorial Crown (PMW) – Datuk (2026)
References
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