Sabah MP killed in road crash, triggering 13th by-election

(The Star) – Batu Sapi MP Edmund Chong Ket Wah of Parti Bersatu Sabah (BN) died in a road accident in Kota Kinabalu, triggering the country’s 13th by-election.

He is believed to have been riding a Kawasaki 750 bike along the Sembulan-Tanjung Aru road when he was involved in a crash with an on-coming Mercedez car at about 11.40am Saturday. He was 54.

His body has been taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital here.

Chong was born on April 9, 1956 in Sandakan. He is married to Linda Tsen Thau Lin and has four children.

A consultant engineer, Chong was the party treasurer-general and its Elopura division chairman.

He first became MP after winning the Batu Sapi seat in the 2004 general election.

In the 2008 general election Chong had won the Batu Sapi parliamentary seat by beating independent candidate Chung Kwong Wing by a majority of 3,708 votes. Chong had garnered 9,479 votes.

Chong’s death has triggered the 13th by-election for the country since the March 2008 general election.

Bernama quoted Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman describing Chong’s death as a great loss for the people and state of Sabah.

“He was a dedicated and committed leader in discharging his responsibilities as the Member of Parliament for Batu Sapi,” he told reporters when approached at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Saturday.

Musa, who is the State Barisan Nasional chairman, said he and his family extended condolences to Chong’s family and PBS.

PBS president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who was also at the hospital, said: “It’s very sad for the state and the country, especially PBS. He was my close friend.”