Sorry for your loss: Abdul Majid (second from right) extending his condolences to Wong’s family at the Nirvana Memorial Centre in Kuala Lumpur. — CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Upon returning to Malaysia after reading law in the United Kingdom, the late Tan Sri Wong Mook Leong made it a point to learn to speak Malay and understand Malay culture and customs.
Abdul Majid Baharom, who was among those paying their last respects to the late MCA veteran, said he was working at the Education Ministry when a friend introduced him to Wong.
“We first had a chat at his office in Jalan Imbi (here).
“As we got to know each other better, I was invited to teach him Malay twice a week and then three times a week soon after,” he told Sin Chew Daily at the Nirvana Memorial Centre yesterday.
Abdul Majid – who was an editor of the English-Malay Oxford dictionary – said he also helped Wong understand Malay culture and customs.
“He was a fast learner and a true friend,” he added.
Abdul Majid also said that Wong was a humble person.
“He was a gentleman and treated everyone equally,” he said.
Wong’s son Datuk Wong Shung Yen said his father went abroad to read law after finishing his Form Six at a secondary school in Kuala Kangsar, Perak.
“When he returned home, he knew that a grasp of the national language was very important, so he made an effort to learn it,” he added.
Wong, who had served at various government units including the National Unity Bureau of the Prime Minister’s Department and Selangor Economic Development Corporation, died last Sunday at the age of 80.
Among those who paid their last respects yesterday was former human resources minister Tan Sri Dr Fong Chan Onn, who said Wong had been a great help to him.
“He guided me and gave me a lot of suggestions especially in issues related to nation-building and education,” he said.
