My MP
By Foong Pek Yee
Full name: Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn (MCA)
Age: 64
Marital status: Married
Children: Three
Education: Bachelor of Engineering, MBA/PhD in Economics
Constituency: Alor Gajah, Malacca
Website: http://www.fongchanonn.com.my/
DATUK Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn appears to be perpetually in a rush. And those who know him well would agree that Dr Fong is diligent, meticulous and a tad impatient.
The former dean of Universiti Malaya’s faculty of Economics and Administration contested and won the Alor Gajah parliamentary seat in 1990. There has been no looking back for him since.
Dr Fong was deputy education minister for two terms (1990-1995 and 1995-1999) and human resources minister for another two terms (1999-2004 and 2004-March 2008).
He also topped the list of MCA’s four elected vice-presidents for three consecutive terms, including the current term.
The fifth-term Alor Gajah MP, now a Barisan Nasional backbencher, wishes there could better facilities for the disabled in the country.
How much time to do you spend on the computer?
I carry my Air Book Mac with me everywhere I go. I use it to check my e-mail and to source for information from the Web and to browse the Internet whenever I have free time in between meetings or assignments.
Do you blog?
I have just set up a new website (www.fongchanonn.com. my) which incorporates a blog. This helps me to keep in touch with the rakyat and provides useful feedback for me and allows the people to keep in touch with me as my contact and those of my aides are listed there. It allows me to feel the “pulse” of the people, especially those in my constituency, and brings me closer to their problems and their sentiments. When I was the human resources minister, I also had my own website.
Do you dance, sing or play a musical instrument?
No, I don’t play any musical instrument. I can’t dance (and this often embarrasses my wife) and I don’t sing much, except on occasions and sometimes karaoke with party members and constituents.
Name your favourite song.
The Chinese song Qi Shi Ni Bu Dong Wo De Xin (You Don’t Really Know My Heart).
Are you into movies?
No, because I always say I don’t have much time for it, but my wife feels I should find the time for movies!
What do you read?
I like motivational and self-improvement books, and those relating to my personal interests like management, environment, labour issues, national and international issues.
What was the last book you read?
I am currently reading A Very Short History of The World by Geoffrey Blainey. It's inspiring. It explains in a very intuitive manner the evolvement of the human race some two million years ago until today. From now onwards, humanity can expect more changes and surprises as we forge into the 22nd century.
Are you into English Premier League football?
I am not so much into football but I watch occasionally, especially when there is an interesting game. I like to watch golf and tennis more.
What’s your game?
Golf.
Who is your favourite sports star?
Tiger Woods.
Coffee or tea?
Cappuccino.
What is your preferred drink?
Red wine.
What languages do you speak?
English, Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia
Do you smoke?
Definitely not.
What is the gadget you can’t do without?
My handphone, which is also a PDA and my laptop.
What’s your favourite food?
Steak.
You have a weakness for ...
IT gizmos – the latest computers, handphones and, of course, golf equipment and shoes!
Do you have a pet?
I have a rascal (dog) called Xiao Yuen. He is a Pekingese.
What car do you drive?
I have a Mercedes.
What is your contribution to environmental conservation?
I try to encourage the household to do our part like recycling, cutting down on the use of plastic bags by bringing our own shopping bags to the supermarkets, and cutting down on the use of papers by going paperless as much as possible. I feel we can all do our part, no matter how small we think it is.
Name an idol (past or present) whom you look up to and why.
I am very impressed by Winston Churchill, how one person inspired a nation in the jaws of defeat to achieve ultimate victory.
Any phobias?
I hate sleeping in a very large, empty room even if it is a seven-star hotel room.
What do you like most about Malaysia?
I like the cultural mix which makes the country so interesting. We have different foods – Chinese, Malay, Indian, Thai, French, Japanese, German, Italian. Even Chinese food, we have varieties, such as Sichuan etc. Also, we are spared from most natural calamities.
What do you dislike most about Malaysians?
I would like to see Malaysians exercising better toilet habits and hygiene and also road courtesy. As a former human resource minister, I would like very much for Malaysians to improve our service industry – in the hotels, at counter services, public utilities, etc. I am not saying they are not courteous now, but I believe there is room for improvement. “Service with a Smile” for example, some of us could do with a little more of that.
Which sector in Malaysia would you like to see improvement?
I will not pinpoint any specific area but service is not something that should be static. We should not sit back and tell ourselves we have reached the “best” level of service we can attain. We should continuously seek ways to improve ourselves, no matter what our profession is. Professionalism should cut across all levels – whether we are tea ladies, drivers, or lawyers and doctors.
If there is one thing that you can change in the country, what would that be?
Personally, I would like to see our social set-up and values being more disabled-friendly. Every society has on an average one in 10 people who are disabled. But you find very few wheelchair-bound or disabled people in our streets. It pains me even more to find many of the so-called five-star hotels in Kuala Lumpur don’t even have ramps up their main entrances or toilets for the disabled in their lobby or restaurant floors. I have attended many charity events in which the organisers invited wheelchair-bound groups to perform but don’t even have the courtesy to set up ramps for them to get up the stage by themselves. Is it surprising, then, to see so few disabled people up and about in Kuala Lumpur or other parts of Malaysia?
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