Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Wong Soon Kai
KUCHING: Former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Wong Soon Kai passed away peacefully at his residence here yesterday at around 4am.
Soon Kai, who was the third Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president from 1991 to 1996, was 90 years old.
He is survived by his wife Datin Patinggi Datuk Seri Dr Jane Yong, his three children Dr Wong Chee Liang, Dr Wong Chee May and Wong Chee Ling and grandchildren.
He was the first Sarawakian to graduate as a surgeon in Britain in 1959.
Soon Kai and his wife graduated as doctors from the King Edward VII College of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Singapore in 1947.
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- State legal counsel Datuk JC Fong paying his last respects to Soon Kai at his residence yesterday.
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- Visitors extending their condolences to Dr Yong (right) when paying their last respects to Soon Kai at his residence yesterday.
Among his classmates were former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.
Soon Kai was a member of FRCS of England and Edinburgh.
He served as a government doctor for 15 years and had served in Lau King Howe Hospital at Island Road in Sibu and spent four years in private practice before entering politics.
Soon Kai was born on February 10, 1927 in a village downstream of Sungai Assan in Sibu and grew up there.
His parents settled there after they arrived from Minqing County in Fuzhou, China.
Soon Kai’s early education was at Chiew Kung Primary School and Kwong Hua Secondary School.
He entered politics in 1974 and was sworn in as the Minister of Agriculture and Social Development.
He had since held several other state ministerial positions and served as deputy chief minister from 1994 to 1996.
Soon Kai retired from active politics in 1996, after losing the Bukit Assek state seat to the late Wong Ho Leng of DAP during the state election.
After retirement, he served as science adviser to the state government from 1997.
The wake will be held at his residence at No. 8 Lorong Tabuan 2, off Jalan Tabuan, here tomorrow (Friday, March 24) at 7pm while the en-coffin service will be held at his residence on Saturday (March 25) at 8am.
The funeral service will be held in Trinity Methodist Church at Jalan Ellis here at 9am and thereafter proceed for cremation at Nirvana Memorial Park near here.
Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg is expected to pay his last respects to Soon Kai on Friday at around 4pm.