The DAP man said his withdrawal was due to complications linked to hyperthyroidism, adding that obligations to his family were another factor.

“Having elderly parents and an autistic sister depending on me, I had to make this hard decision to prioritise my health,” he said in a Facebook post today.

Lee was first appointed as a councillor in the then Penang Island Municipal Council after the 2013 general election.

In 2018, he stepped down as councillor to contest for the Pulau Tikus state seat, going on to win by 9,245 votes against candidates from Gerakan and the Malaysian United Party.