Former deputy chief minister and former Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) chairman Tan Sri Dr Wong Soon Kai, 90, died at around 4am this morning at his residence here.
"It is with a very heavy heart I announce that our former party president Tan Sri Dr Wong Soon Kai who served from 1991 to 1996 has passed away," SUPP secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting said when contacted.
He said the party would issue a statement later to officially inform all members in the state.
Wong left behind his wife Datuk Seri Dr Jane Yong, three children Dr Wong Chee Liang, Dr Wong Chee May and Wong Chee Ling and grandchildren to mourn his death.
He was the first Sarawakian to graduate as a surgeon in Britain in 1959.
Wong and his wife graduated as doctors from the King Edward College V11 College of Medicine, Universiti Malaya in 1947.
Among his classmates were former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.
He served as a government doctor for 15 years and spent another four years in private practice before entering politics and becoming a state minister in 1974.
He was deputy chief minister from 1994 to 1996 and was a science adviser to the state government.
Meanwhile SUPP President Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian who is currently away overseas in his Facebook page said he was deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Soon Kai.
"We are deeply saddened by the news of the passing of our Honourary party president and third party president, comrade YABhg Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Wong Soon Kai last night.
"On behalf of SUPP, I offer my heartfelt condolences to Puan Sri Dr Jane Yong, her children and grandchildren," he wrote.
"We recall the late Tan Sri was a party comrade who was always concerned with the welfare of the party and fellow Sarawakians till the end.
"He was a medical colleague, a great Gentleman, a mentor, an inspiring leader and a statesman who dedicated his whole life to his fellow contrymen.
"It is truly a great loss to our homeland Sarawak and country. May his soul rest in peace," he wrote. -- Bernama
Bernama
Wed Mar 22 2017
The late Tan Sri Dr Wong Soon Kai served as a government doctor for 15 years and spent another four years in private practice before entering politics and becoming a state minister in 1974. Facebook / Sarawak Aritok
Dua warga emas maut, kereta terbabas bertembung lori ikan
Perjalanan tiga sahabat untuk belajar agama di sebuah Pusat Pengajian Pondok bertukar tragedi apabila dua daripadanya maut.
Jentayu dapat kelulusan ambil alih aset Telekosang Hydro, Jentayu Solar
Syarikat senaraian Pasaran Utama, Jentayu Sustainables Bhd menerima kelulusan utama bersyarat dengan Suruhanjaya Sekuriti Malaysia (SC) bagi memperoleh aset Telekosang Hydro dan Jentayu Solar, yang akan memacu kumpulan itu menjadi pemain tenaga boleh diperbaharui.
LTAT umum pelantikan Pengerusi, Ketua Eksekutif baharu
Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) melantik Jeneral Tan Sri Azizan Ariffin sebagai Pengerusi dan Mohammad Ashraf Md Radzi sebagai Ketua Eksekutif yang baharu berkuat kuasa Isnin ini.
BMI unjur harga minyak brent AS$85 setong 2024, AS$82 2025
BMI mengekalkan unjuran semasa harga minyak mentah Brent pada purata US$85 setong bagi 2024, tetapi menyemak semula unjuran bagi 2025 dengan menurunkannya kepada US$82 setong daripada US$84 setong sebelumnya.
SC tingkat standard tatalaku pengantara pasaran modal
Suruhanjaya Sekuriti Malaysia (SC) mengeluarkan Garis Panduan mengenai Tatalaku untuk Pengantara Pasaran Modal (Garis Panduan) yang disemak.
PETRONAS dagangan tumpu sektor serbaneka, mobiliti rendah karbon
PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd (PDB) cabang pemasaran Petronas untuk produk Petroleum dan stesen berperkihdmatan akan memberi tumpuan untuk berkembang kepada sektor serbaneka serta menyediakan penyelesaian mobiliti rendah karbon kepada pelanggannya
Anwar jumpa ketua cabang selepas hari raya selesai kemelut PKR Sabah
Presiden PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim akan mengadakan sesi konsultasi dengan semua ketua cabang di Sabah selepas hari raya nanti untuk mencari formula terbaik mengatasi pergolakan yang berlaku.
Kaedah ROSA di KPJ kurangkan kecederaan, pendekkan masa pemulihan
Sebanyak 206 prosedur pembedahan ganti sendi lutut berjaya dilakukan menggunakan teknologi canggih Pembantu Pembedahan Robotik (ROSA) di Hospital Pakar KPJ, Kuching sejak Ogos lalu.
Pantau Agenda Reformasi: Bagaimana data PADU akan menambah baik penggubalan dasar?
Memahami keperluan untuk daftar PADU.
Dr. Hadhrami Bin Ab Ghani, Timbalan Dekan Fakulti Sains Data dan Komputeran UMK
Dr. Hadhrami Bin Ab Ghani, Timbalan Dekan Fakulti Sains Data dan Komputeran UMK
Selepas 50 tahun, bubur lambuk tetel Masjid Jorak Elahi tetap diminati
Bubur lambuk tetel Masjid Jamek Jorak Elahi, Bukit Pasir, yang diagihkan secara percuma sentiasa ditunggu-tunggu penduduk sekitar sini apabila tibanya Ramadan.
Former England captain Wilkins dies aged 61
Former England captain Ray Wilkins died on Wednesday in a London hospital at the age of 61 following a heart attack.
Anggota perwakilan banjiri EGM MCA
Jumlah itu adalah 92 peratus daripada 2,385 anggota perwakilan dari seluruh negara.