Wong Soon Koh

Malaysian politician

黄顺舸
Wong Soon Koh in 2018
State Leader of the Opposition of SarawakIn office
8 November 2020 – 19 March 2024GovernorAbdul Taib Mahmud
(2020–2024)
Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar
(January–March 2024)PremierAbang Abdul Rahman Johari
(2022–2024)Chief MinisterAbang Abdul Rahman Johari
(2020–2022)Preceded byChong Chieng JenSucceeded byChong Chieng JenConstituencyBawang AssanState Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce of SarawakIn office
6 May 2017 – 15 July 2019GovernorAbdul Taib MahmudChief MinisterAbang Abdul Rahman JohariDeputyMohd Naroden Majais
(E-Commerce)Preceded byPosition establishedSucceeded byAwang Tengah Ali HasanConstituencyBawang AssanState Minister of Finance II of SarawakIn office
2004 – 15 July 2019GovernorAbang Muhammad Salahuddin
(2004–2014)
Abdul Taib Mahmud
(2014–2019)Chief MinisterAbdul Taib Mahmud
(2004–2014)
Adenan Satem
(2014–2017)
Abang Abdul Rahman Johari
(2017–2019)MinisterAbdul Taib Mahmud
(2004–2014)
Adenan Satem
(2014–2017)
Abang Abdul Rahman Johari
(2017–2019)Succeeded byDouglas Uggah EmbasConstituencyBawang AssanState Minister of Local Government and Community Development of SarawakIn office
28 September 2011 – 12 May 2016GovernorAbang Muhammad Salahuddin
(2011–2014)
Abdul Taib Mahmud
(2014–2016)Chief MinisterAbdul Taib Mahmud
(2011–2014)
Adenan Satem
(2014–2016)DeputyJerip Susil
Peter Nansian Ngusie
John Sikie TayaiSucceeded bySim Kui HianConstituencyBawang AssanState Minister of Environment and Public Health of SarawakIn office
2008 – 27 September 2011GovernorAbang Muhammad SalahuddinChief MinisterAbdul Taib MahmudSucceeded byAbdul Taib Mahmud
(Environment)ConstituencyBawang AssanSenior Vice President of the Progressive Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 April 2024
Serving with Penguang Manggil (Senior Vice President I) &
Rolland Duat Jubin (Senior Vice President II)
PresidentTiong King Sing1st President of the Parti Sarawak BersatuIn office
2015 – 19 March 2024DeputyJerip Susil
Johnical Rayong NgipaPreceded byPosition establishedSucceeded byPosition abolishedMember of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly
for Bawang Assan
Incumbent
Assumed office
28 September 1991Preceded byPosition establishedMajority2,892 (1991)
2,709 (1996)
7,096 (2001)
2,504 (2006)
1,808 (2011)
4,131 (2016)
913 (2021)Faction represented in Sarawak State Legislative Assembly1991–2014Barisan Nasional2014Sarawak People's Energy Party2014–2016United People's Party2016–2018Barisan Nasional2018–2019United Sarawak Party2019–2024Parti Sarawak Bersatu2024–Gabungan Parti Sarawak Personal detailsBorn
Wong Soon Koh

(1942-05-16) 16 May 1942 (age 81)
Sibu, Japanese occupation of British Borneo (now Sarawak, Malaysia)CitizenshipMalaysianPolitical partySarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP)
Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB)
(2015–2024)
Progressive Democratic Party (PDP)
(since 2024)Other political
affiliationsGabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)
(since 2024)SpousePauline LeongChildrenAndrew Wong Kee YewResidence(s)Sibu, Sarawak, MalaysiaAlma materUniversity of Western AustraliaOccupationPoliticianSignature

Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh (simplified Chinese: 黄顺舸; traditional Chinese: 黃順舸; pinyin: Huáng shùngě; Jyutping: Wong4 Seon6 Go2; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: N̂g Sūn-ko; born 16 May 1942),[1] is a Malaysian politician who has served as Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Bawang Assan since September 1991. He served as the State Leader of the Opposition of Sarawak from November 2020 to March 2024, State Minister of Finance II of Sarawak from 2004 and State Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce from May 2017 to his resignation in July 2019, State Minister of Local Government and Community Development from September 2011 to May 2016 and State Minister of Environment and Public Health from 2008 to September 2011. He is a member of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), a component party of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition. He was a member of the Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) and the Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP). He has also served as the Senior Vice President of PDP since April 2024. He also served as the 1st, founding and only President of PSB from 2015 to the dissolution of the party in March 2024.

Education

Wong graduated from the University of Western Australia (UWA) in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts.[2][3]

Political career

In September 2011, Wong was reappointed as Second Minister for Finance and reassigned as Minister for Local Government and Housing by Abdul Taib Mahmud.[4]

In May 2014, Wong was sacked from Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP), while still being SUPP Sibu branch chairman, by then-president Peter Chin Fah Kui.[5] The party was reportedly unhappy with Wong's decision to appoint a number of community leaders.[6] Soon before he was officially sacked, Wong announced in a hurriedly called press conference that he was joining a newly formed party, Sarawak People's Energy Party (TERAS), together with former Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president William Mawan Ikom. Less than three months later, Wong announced that he was leaving TERAS to form a new party, United Peoples' Party (UPP), bringing with him three other elected state assemblymen.[7]

In May 2017, Wong was reassigned by the sixth Chief Minister of Sarawak Abang Abdul Rahman Johari Abang Openg to head the new Ministry of International Trade and E-Commerce as UPP still being pro-Barisan Nasional (BN) party.[8][9]

In late 2018, Wong's party, UPP, announced that it was changing its name to United Sarawak Party (PSB).[10] In July 2019, Wong tendered his resignation as the International Trade and e-Commerce Minister and second Minister of Finance from the state Cabinet, marking PSB turning its status into Independent.[11]

Personal life

Wong's spouse is Pauline Leong. Their only son Andrew Wong Kee Yew, suspectedly died of stroke on 10 February 2019 at their family home in Sibu.[12] Andrew, former deputy chairman of Sibu Municipal Council, is married and has two children, a son and a daughter.[13]

Election results

Sarawak State Legislative Assembly
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1991 N39 Bawang Assan Wong Soon Koh (SUPP) 6,112 65.50% Ling Sie Ming (DAP) 3,220 34.50% 9,401 2,892 68.45%
1996 N41 Bawang Assan Wong Soon Koh (SUPP) 6,953 62.10% Chian Pao Koh (DAP) 4,244 37.90% 11,300 2,709 61.45%
2001 Wong Soon Koh (SUPP) 9,465 79.98% Michael Tiang Ming Tee (DAP) 2,369 20.02% 11,920 7,096 68.85%
2006 N47 Bawang Assan Wong Soon Koh (SUPP) 6,804 61.28% Wong Kee Woan (DAP) 4,300 38.72% 11,172 2,504 66.32%
2011 Wong Soon Koh (SUPP) 7,316 57.05% Alice Lau Kiong Yieng (DAP) 5,508 42.95% 12,936 1,808 77.26%
2016 N53 Bawang Assan Wong Soon Koh (UPP) 9,015 61.12% Stanley Chiew Sung Ngie (DAP) 4,884 33.38% 14,801 4,131 80.70%
Watson Bangau Johnathan Renang (IND) 569 3.89%
Wong Sing Wei (STAR) 100 0.68%
Yeu Bang Keng (IND) 63 0.43%
2021 Wong Soon Koh (PSB) 5,952 43.25% Robert Lau (SUPP) 5,039 36.61% 13,763 913 70.18%
Amy Lau (DAP) 1,173 8.52%
Michelle Ling Shyan Mih (PBK) 954 6.93%
Ricky Enteri (IND) 645 4.69%
Parliament of Malaysia[14]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2022 P212 Sibu Wong Soon Koh (PSB) 11,128 16.88% Oscar Ling Chai Yew (DAP) 31,287 47.45% 65,942 7,760 62.28%
Clarence Ting Ing Horh (SUPP) 23,527 35.68%

Honours

  •  Sarawak :
    • Member of the Order of the Star of Sarawak (ABS)[1]
    • Commander of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (PGBK) – Datuk (1994)[1]
    • Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of Sarawak (PNBS) – Dato Sri (2003)[1]

See also

  • flagMalaysia portal
  • Biography portal
  • iconPolitics portal

References

  1. ^ a b c d "DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI SARAWAK". Sarawak State Legislative Assembly. 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Awards for highly talented world citizens". Michael Sinclair-Jones. University of Western Australia. 2 September 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Quality education, teachers attract students, private Chinese schools told". Borneo Post. 1 March 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  4. ^ "Sarawak Cabinet (2011)". rimau atas kerusi. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  5. ^ "SUPP sacks Wong Soon Koh". Stephen Then. The Star. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Soon Koh: I'm not a deserter, SUPP sacked me". Raymond Tan. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Wong, Three Others Leave TERAS To Form UPP". Malaysia Today. Bernama. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  8. ^ "Awang Tengah appointed new Deputy CM in S'wak cabinet reshuffle". The Sun. Bernama. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  9. ^ "Abg Johari unveils his new team". Lim How Pin. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  10. ^ "United People's Party renamed Parti Sarawak Bersatu, pledges support for Abang Johari". Sulok Tawie. 8 December 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Sarawak CM: Wong Soon Koh's resignation as Cabinet minister accepted". Malay Mail. 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Son of Sarawak Second Finance Minister Wong Soon Koh passes away". Andy Chua. The Star. 11 February 2019.
  13. ^ "Cops classify death of Second Finance Minister's son as sudden death". Andy Chua. The Star. 11 February 2019.
  14. ^ "Keputusan:Pilihan Raya Umum Malaysia Ke-15". Astro Awani. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
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