With the brouhaha over his kangkung-themed flash mob having cooled off, PKR’s Machang Bubuk assemblyperson Lee Khai Loon is now preparing a review of him by his constituents.

This is akin to a report card but Lee is not waiting for any NGO to grade his performance, preferring to take a proactive stance and open himself to evaluation and constructive criticism from his voters.

Dubbed the ‘200-Day Report’, Lee ( left ) said he wants his constituents to review what he has done or failed to do as since becoming their state representative last year, and he plans to launch it soon among all levels of society in his constituency.

Lee is a first-term assemblyperson, having won the mixed semi-urban seat in a six-cornered fight in the May 5 general election.

"I welcome criticism and counter-proposals on my role as an assemblyperson. After being 200 days on the job, I am getting feedback from all communities. I hope to engage my constituents in this project," he told Malaysiakini.

Lee hit the media headlines after pro-government groups, including Umno members, Perkasa and Pekida, held two rallies condemning him in Seberang Jaya on Jan 18 and in Alma, Bukit Mertajam, the next day.

Offended by kangkung feed

They were offended by Lee's act of feeding a styrofoam replica of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak with bundles the water spinach, kangkung.

The rally in Seberang Jaya heard threats of a repeat of the May 13 racial riots, while in Alma, the protest ended up in violence with two unknown men being assaulted for allegedly uttering racist words.

Police are  yet to haul up the perpetrators but Lee is being investigated for criminal defamation.

He does not feel the kangkung flash mob the incident will mar his performance or his party’s, despite being told by a senior politician from an ally party, Lim Kit Siang, to apologise to avoid certain quarters taking the opportunity to cause racial tensions.

Lee said most people do not allow themselves to be provoked by racial sentiments and propaganda by certain groups.

He said his friends, constituents and members of the Village Development and Security Committees (JKKKs) in his area do not agree with the violence that took place at the two pro-Umno rallies.

‘I work closely with the JKKKs’

"I have been working closely with the JKKKs and we have meetings every month. After the kangkung incident, more members have approached me," Lee, who is Penang PKR Youth information chief, said.

"I believe that as long as you work with the people, engage with them in your planning and find solutions to resolve their problems, the people will continue to support you," he added.

"Machang Bubuk is a mixed area and everybody here lives peacefully with one another," he said.

Asked how he planned to overcome the claim by some Malay NGOs that he has neglected his constituency, ignored flood problems and the plight of Malay traders in his area, Lee said he has been working on empowering communities to fight for their rights.

He said he frequently visit markets and villages to engage with his constituents, taking up their issues and raising them in the state legislative assembly.

For example, Lee said, an independent flood mitigation group of concerned citizens is being set up to tackle the issue of floods.

"The solution also depends on the government. I try to provide them with enough information about how to go about finding a solution to the problems," Lee said.

"I give them information on what the government plans to do for them, to empower them to form concerned groups, so that they can advocate and lobby or pressure the government to implement their suggestions (in their areas of need)."