Paul Yong Choo Kiong was born in Sitiawan, Perak. His family were settlers of New Village Program introduced during the British rule of Malaya.
Education and professional career
Yong received his education from SJKC Pei Min Ayer Tawar, and subsequently from SMK Ambrose, Ayer Tawar as well as Nan Hua High School of Ayer Tawar. He also obtained a Masters in Business Administration from a correspondence University name Akamai, although pronounced by opposition politician Wee Ka Siong that the degree obtained by Yong is a part of a degree mill.
Political career
Entering politics in 2004, Yong quickly became the Political Secretary to Ngeh Koo Ham in the Sitiawan Branch of DAP Yong stood as the State Assemblyman candidate in the 2013 Malaysian General Election and won in the state seat of Tronoh in Perak. As the incumbent, Yong retained the seat in the 2018 Malaysian General Election beating his closest rival from MCA Yuen Chan How by a majority of 10,501 votes. With his win in the GE14, he was appointed an Perak state Exco member serving in the PH state government under Menteri Besar, Ahmad Faizal Azumu.
Controversies
Accused of rape
In August, 2019 it was arraigned in Ipoh Sessions Court under Section 376 of the indictment on the charge of Yong raping his maid in a room on the top floor of Meru Road 2, Meru Village Park, near here, between 8.15 and 9.15pm on 7 July 2019. Allegations first arose around early July and despite having police investigations returned, the it was resubmitted to the Attorney General Chambers for charges, resulting in Yong being charged in the Ipoh Sessions Court for rape of his househelper. It then emerged that there was 'third party' involvement and Ngeh Koo Ham publicly saying that he had met the person who was paid to make the police report along with the househelper. Despite an official request from the legal defense team to expedite the case and have it transferred to the high court for a faster hearing, the high court denied the transfer, requesting it be heard in the sessions court instead. The victim was kept under the witness protection act at the Indonesian Embassy of Kuala Lumpur, and despite pleas from the mother of the victim, was denied visitation rights while during case management, the defense had also appealed to the prosecution to withdraw the case, citing the chemist report that indicated no traces of his DNA was ever found in clothing items as well as in bodily fluids of the swab from the alleged victim
Yong opted to go on leave when pressure was stepped up calling for him to take leave-of-absence despite earlier rejecting the advise of the Menteri Besar Although he did proceed with the leave-of-absence, Yong returned to duty at the Perak State Legislative Assembly seating between 16–22 November. It was then alleged that Perak DAP Chairman Nga Kor Ming was overheard in a recording chiding Yong for his initiative to return to work, further compounding the rumour that 'black hands' were behind the accusation. Allegations emerged during Yong's appearance in court when a few hundred of his supporters emerged to call for the resignation of Nga.
Urges of calm and support
Despite his defense claim and emergence of third party involvement, Yong released a press statement urging his supporters to continue their support of the party and its leaders. Other developments relating to this include the earlier resignation of two state assemblymen for Malim Nawar, Leong Cheok Keng and Pokok Assam, Leow Thye Yih in protest to Nga's statement of Party's decision on Yong's fate rather than the Party's state committee. However both then relented and returned to the state committee on Yong's continued appeal. Both were then denied reinstatement with Nga publicly rebutting 'members who fail to toe party's line'
House broken into
On 5 November 2019, Yong reported that his house was broken into while he was away on business, resulting in the loss of important documents as well as personal property. Oddly, the room in which his former househelper stayed in was left locked and untouched. The police confirmed that there was indeed a break in at Yong's house, and while two safeboxes containing documents and valuables were taken, neither his high powered motorcycle, 60 inch TV nor other expensive items were taken
