KUCHING: Sarawak Heart Foundation (SHF) bids farewell to its vice-chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Wong Soon Kai who had served 12 years with the foundation initiated by the late Datuk Patinggi Laila Taib.
FAREWELL: Dr Wong (left) receives a momento from Taib during the dinner at BCCK. — Photo by Penerangan
SHF held a farewell dinner for the former deputy chief minister at the Raintree Restaurant at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching on Monday night.
Guest-of-honour Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud in his speech said Dr Wong was a loyal and dedicated person who did not complain about things.
“He just can’t keep still because he is prompted to serve the public. My wife (the late Laila) told me a great deal about Dr Wong. We owe a great deal to him,” said Taib who is SHF chairman.
“With the setting up of SHF and with Soon Kai around, heart patients, including babies, find it faster to get treatment compared to yesteryears. So the foundation came at the right time,” he added.
On politics, Taib said Dr Wong together with several other leaders had brought his party, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Taib’s party, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) closer together.
He advised Dr Wong: “Slow down and be happy. You live a useful life, a life you can claim as an asset to the country.”
Taib said two weeks before she passed away, Laila advised him to look after the SHF besides orphans.
He said he was overjoyed with the federal side giving attention to the Heart Centre at Sarawak International Medical Centre in Kota Samarahan.
In his farewell speech, Dr Wong said with the setting up of SHF, Sarawak would be free from a backlog of heart cases.
SHF’s main aim is to promote a healthy heart and life.
“The heart works very hard from the day we were born until we die, pumping blood in our circulatory system. We want hearts that grow stronger and live longer. Prevention is better than cure,” Dr Wong said.
As people could not predict the future, it would be good if they were vigilant and took good care of themselves.
He said SHF still had a lot of work to do and prepare for problems which may crop up from time to time.
Dr Wong commended Laila for initiating the foundation.