Lecture Abstract:

Malaysian politics is undergoing a state of flux, with both the ruling and the opposition coalitions engrossed in their respective internal struggles, besides facing off each other.  Sarawak politics, in particular, has seen various forms of divisions and permutations over the past years.  In this respect, the imminent Sarawak state election will be a testing rod for the “new” politics in Sarawak and beyond.  With many years of political experience under his belt, Datuk Wee Kok Tiong will share his views on the political trajectories of both Malaysia and Sarawak.

Datuk Wee is also the Managing Director of Bornion Timber Sdn. Bhd., which was awarded a Forest Management Unit (FMU) in Keningau, Sabah by the Sabah State Government. Currently, together with joint venture partner which is a China state owned enterprise, Bornion has planted 16,000 hectares of mainly latex timber-cloned rubber trees in the FMU.  This rubber plantation project will bring significant development and contribution to the interior part of Sabah, and Datuk Wee will share this unique experience of pioneering large-scale collaboration between public and private sectors in a transnational setting.

About the Speaker:

Datuk Wee Kok Tiong is a prominent Sarawakian who served as a Malaysian Senator from 2001 to 2004.  In 2004, he represented the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) to contest in the Bandar Kuching parliamentary constituency during the Malaysian General Election.  He was also a Central Executive Committee member of the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), a BN component party.

Beside his political involvements, Datuk Wee is also a successful businessman.  He is Group Chairman of the Wee Boon Ping Group of Companies (WBPGC), with diversified business activities in timber-related industries, property development and construction, newspaper publishing and manufacturing.  WBPGC has subsidiary companies at Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, mainland China, and South America.

Datuk Wee is also an avid participant in community activities.  He is a past Vice President and current National Committee Member of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Malaysia, and also past President and current Vice President of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sarawak, as well as President of Kuching Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  Enthusiastic about China-Malaysia relations, he is an Executive Council Member of China Overseas Exchange Association, and also President of Sarawak-China Friendship Association.