KUALA LUMPUR: Health issues have taken their toll on several Members of Parliament (MPs) in recent years, even leading to deaths.
Since the 2018 general election, four MPs have died – the majority from heart attacks.
The late Datuk Stephen Wong Tien Fatt died of a heart attack in March 2019, following a morning hike near Putatan, Sabah.
His death triggered the Sandakan by-election, in which his daughter Vivien Wong was eventually elected as MP. She successfully defended the seat in the 15th General Election (GE15).
Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, who had been a deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (National Unity and Social Wellbeing), died of a heart attack in September 2019.
This caused a by-election to be held in Tanjung Piai.
Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng of MCA won the Tanjung Piai seat, which he successfully defended in GE15.
Gerik MP Datuk Hasbullah Osman died of a heart condition on Nov 16, 2020.
The seat was left vacant as no by-election could be held owing to the Covid-19 pandemic; it was eventually won by Perikatan Nasional candidate Fathul Huzir Ayob in GE15.
Former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal Affairs) Datuk Liew Vui Keong, died on Oct 2, 2020, from pneumonia while being treated for a slipped disc.
His Batu Sapi seat was left vacant as no by-election was held owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The seat was later won by Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
On April 4, 2016, then Sepang MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin collapsed in his seat after taking part in a heated debate on a Bill in Dewan Rakyat.
Hanipa, who is a member of Parti Amanah Negara, was said to have suffered a stroke and only returned to the Dewan Rakyat after six months.
On Oct 21, 2019, then Nibong Tebal MP Datuk Mansor Othman collapsed while delivering his Budget 2020 speech.
Mansor, from PKR, began slurring halfway through his speech before collapsing, most likely due to a fainting episode.
On Nov 11, 2019, Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Eddin Syazlee Shith collapsed in the Dewan Rakyat at about 10.30am during Question Time.
He had earlier complained of tightness in the chest and had difficulty breathing.
He was sent to the National Heart Institute as it was believed he had suffered a mild heart attack.
