Chew received her secondary education at Kuen Cheng High School before going on to receive a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Literature from the National Chengchi University in Taipei and a Master of Arts (MA) in Chinese Studies from the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Many of her followers at Wisma MCA carried banners reading "Holding the principle for the honor of women", "We support you", "We need you" and "Do not resign!".

[5] In September 2017, DAP lawmakers questioned the MCA of Selangor about a one-acre plot of land in Kampung Cempaka, Petaling Jaya which was allegedly purchased under market price.

MCA had applied for the land in 2006 and got approval from the state government in 2007 which was then under Barisan Nasional and Chew was still the MP of Petaling Jaya Utara.

She later threatened to sue Yeo and the new DAP MP for Petaling Jaya Utara then, Tony Pua of defamatory for revealing the matter, which never took place.