Stephen Wong Tien Fatt (; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Vòng Thiên-fat; 2 October 1954 – 28 March 2019) was a Malaysian politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sandakan from May 2013 to his death in March 2019, State Minister of People's Health and Wellbeing of Sabah and Nominated Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly from May 2018 to his death in March 2019. He was a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) and formerly Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalitions. He also served as the State Chairman of DAP of Sabah from November 2015 to his death in March 2019. He was also the father of Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee.
Political career 2013 general election In the 2013 election, Wong faced Liew Vui Keong of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and subsequently won the parliamentary seat of Sandakan.
2018 general election In the 2018 election, was fielded by the DAP again to contest in Sandakan, facing a new candidate Lim Ming Hoo from the LDP. He won the election with a large majority.
Controversies and issues Criticism of ESSCOM In 2015, Wong criticised the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) for its costly formation despite recurring kidnapping cases and expressed disappointment towards the "irresponsible and arrogant attitude by [sic] the government leaders as it seems as they are trying to avoid the blame from public". A year before, Wong had urged the government to implement the re-issuance of identity cards in Sabah in response to the many immigrants from the southern Philippines.
Acceptance of Sabah State Awards and Datukship In 2018, Wong accepted the Sabah State Award of Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK) (which carries the title of "Datuk") in accordance with the Yang di-Pertua Sabah Tun Juhar Mahiruddin's 65th birthday; this was in opposition to the DAP's Central Executive Committee policy of disallowing the acceptance of awards and titles by elected representatives and local councillors during their period of active political service. Wong was neither apologetic to the party leadership nor willing to return the award.
Election results + Parliament of Malaysia Percentage figures based on total turnout (including votes for candidates not listed). Results only available from the 2004 election. Percentage figures based on total turnout. Percentage figures based on total turnout.YearConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout%2013P186 SandakanWong Tien Fatt (DAP)14,22651.99%Liew Vui Keong (LDP)13,13848.01%27,9231,08875.35%2018Wong Tien Fatt (DAP)19,09467.97%Lim Ming Hoo (LDP)8,99632.03%28,66810,09872.07%
Death Wong died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia on 28 March 2019 due to a heart attack during a morning hike on the same day. His body was flown back to his hometown of Sandakan to be laid to rest.
His death triggered the 2019 Sandakan by-election on 11 May. His former seat was successfully defended by his daughter and DAP candidate Vivian Wong Shir Yee by a majority of 11,521 votes.
Honours Malaysia
Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (PGDK) – Datuk (2018)
References