Wong Soon Koh

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 State Leader of the Opposition of Sarawak since November 2020 and Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Bawang Assan since September 1991. He served as the 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 and has also served as 1st and founding President of the Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) since 2015 and was previously a member of the Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP).

In this Chinese name, the family name is Wong (黄).
Yang Berhormat Dato' Sri
Wong Soon Koh
PNBS PGBK MLA
黄顺舸
Wong Soon Koh in 2018
State Leader of the Opposition of Sarawak
Assumed office
8 November 2020
GovernorAbdul Taib Mahmud
Chief MinisterAbang Abdul Rahman Johari Abang Openg
Preceded byChong Chieng Jen
1st President of the Parti Sarawak Bersatu
Assumed office
2015
DeputyJerip Susil
Preceded byPosition established
Ministerial roles (Sarawak)
2004–2019Minister for Finance
2008–2011Minister of Environment and Public Health
2011–2016Minister of Local Government and Community Development
2017–2019Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce
Faction represented in Sarawak State Legislative Assembly
1991–2014Barisan Nasional
2014Sarawak People's Energy Party
2014–2016United People's Party
2016–2018Barisan Nasional
2018–Parti Sarawak Bersatu
Personal details
Born
Wong Soon Koh

(1942-05-16) 16 May 1942
Sibu, Japanese occupation of British Borneo (now Sarawak, Malaysia)
CitizenshipMalaysian
Political partySarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP)
Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB)
SpousePauline Leong
ChildrenAndrew Wong Kee Yew
Residence(s)Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia
Alma materUniversity of Western Australia
OccupationPolitician
Signature

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 Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1991 Bawang Assan Wong Soon Koh (SUPP / BN) 6,112 65.50% Ling Sie Ming (DAP) 3,220 34.50% 9,401 2,892 68.45%
1996 Wong Soon Koh (SUPP / BN) 6,953 62.10% Chian Pao Koh (DAP) 4,244 37.90% 11,300 2,709 61.45%
2001 Wong Soon Koh (SUPP / BN) 9,465 79.98% Michael Tiang Ming Tee (DAP) 2,369 20.02% 11,920 7,096 68.85%
2006 Wong Soon Koh (SUPP / BN) 6,804 61.28% Wong Kee Woan (DAP) 4,300 38.72% 11,172 2,504 66.32%
2011 Wong Soon Koh (SUPP / BN) 7,316 57.05% Alice Lau Kiong Yieng (DAP) 5,508 42.95% 12,936 1,808 77.26%
2016 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,
Sarawak		 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

See also

References
  1. "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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