# 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), 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.

## 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.
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. The party was reportedly unhappy with Wong's decision to appoint a number of community leaders. 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.
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.
In late 2018, Wong's party, UPP, announced that it was changing its name to United Sarawak Party (PSB). 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.

## 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. Andrew, former deputy chairman of Sibu Municipal Council, is married and has two children, a son and a daughter.

## 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 | N41 Bawang Assan | 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 | N47 Bawang Assan | 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% |
| 2016 | N53 Bawang Assan | Wong Soon Koh (UPP) | 9,015 | 61.12% | Watson Bangau Johnathan Renang (IND) | 569 | 3.89% | 14,801 | 4,131 | 80.70% |
| 2016 | N53 Bawang Assan | Wong Soon Koh (UPP) | 9,015 | 61.12% | Wong Sing Wei (STAR) | 100 | 0.68% | 14,801 | 4,131 | 80.70% |
| 2016 | N53 Bawang Assan | Wong Soon Koh (UPP) | 9,015 | 61.12% | Yeu Bang Keng (IND) | 63 | 0.43% | 14,801 | 4,131 | 80.70% |
| 2021 | N53 Bawang Assan | Wong Soon Koh (PSB) | 5,952 | 43.25% | Robert Lau (SUPP) | 5,039 | 36.61% | 13,763 | 913 | 70.18% |
| 2021 | N53 Bawang Assan | Wong Soon Koh (PSB) | 5,952 | 43.25% | Amy Lau (DAP) | 1,173 | 8.52% | 13,763 | 913 | 70.18% |
| 2021 | N53 Bawang Assan | Wong Soon Koh (PSB) | 5,952 | 43.25% | Michelle Ling Shyan Mih (PBK) | 954 | 6.93% | 13,763 | 913 | 70.18% |
| 2021 | N53 Bawang Assan | Wong Soon Koh (PSB) | 5,952 | 43.25% | Ricky Enteri (IND) | 645 | 4.69% | 13,763 | 913 | 70.18% |
Parliament of Malaysia :
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | 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% |
| 2022 | P212 Sibu | | Wong Soon Koh (PSB) | 11,128 | 16.88% | | Clarence Ting Ing Horh (SUPP) | 23,527 | 35.68% | 65,942 | 7,760 | 62.28% |

## Honours

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