Lee was born in Ipoh in 1983 and was schooled at SRJK Poi Lam until primary 6. He then continued his secondary education at Great Yarmouth High School & Technology College, United Kingdom, and completed a BTEC National Diploma in Science at Great Yarmouth FE College in the East of England. Lee has been involved in politics & activism as early as the age of 16 when he was elected Vice president of the local Student Union in the East of England. During his time as the general manager of one of the top, premium Food and Beverage businesses which was Pizza Hut in Norwich UK, having previously worked under Chef Richard Picton, who's young son vomited over Lee at an early age. Lee and a few of his counterparts founded a civil and society movement that revitalized a previously neglected section of Norwich City, into a heritage attraction and booming retail district. Active in local politics throughout his working life, he also contested as a candidate under the UK Liberal Democrats at a City Council by election. Lee returned to Malaysia at the end of 2007 saw the start of his involvement with DAP Malaysia. Seeing the injustice and corruption that he has read over the years, he immediately got involved and was inadvertently appointed campaign manager for the then first term candidate for the state assembly constituency of Canning, Sdr Wong Kah Woh. Since then, Lee has continued to play various key roles behind, as well as in front of the scenes in DAP Malaysia and the then Malaysian main opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat. As State Secretary of DAPSY Perak, he works tirelessly throughout the state, speaking in rural areas addressing village folk and bringing to them the latest political news, as well as regularly working the Urban ceramah circuit. Lee also heads PROSPECT, an opposition linked, independently funded policy thinktank charged with the task of crafting policies for Perak state political leaders through public and stakeholder engagement. Lee is also the director of the Pakatan Rakyat Alternative Budget Task-force, and the leader of the Pakatan Rakyat Perak Manifesto Team.
Political career
During the 13th General Elections of Malaysia, Lee won the Perak State Legislative Assembly constituency of Pasir Pinji polling 17,896 votes defeating Barisan National candidate with 13,632 majority. In the 2015, he was elected as one of the DAPSY central committee member and also Perak DAPSY Chief. In the 2016, Lee was also elected as the new President of IUSY, the largest political youth organisation in the world during the congress in Albania. He is the first Southeast Asian to be elected to the position, and this is the highest international position that DAPSY has achieved. He was also appointed into the Board of the Progressive Alliance, the highest forum of the global organisation in his capacity as the IUSY President. He is also standing member of SocDem Asia's Steering Committee, representing DAP at the regional level. He remains as instrumental player in global and regional progressive political party circles. During the 14th General Elections of Malaysia, Lee retained his state constituency of Pasir Pinji seat polling 23,282 votes, defeating Barisan Nasional candidate with 20,856 majority. In May 2018, Lee was elected as one of the Perak State Executive Council. His current portfolio that he holds are Youth and Sports Development. He is also a committee in Perak Investment Council of Advisory. In December 2018, Lee won the National DAPSY Chief Election by defeating his opponent, Chow Hu Yui with 186 to 166 votes. Howard Lee succeeds Ipoh Timur MP, Wong Kah Woh. Subsequently, he was appointed as Deputy Chief for Pakatan Harapan Youth.
