Liow Tiong Lai

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Datuk Liow Tiong Lai

Malaysian Minister of Health
Incumbent
Assumed office 18 March 2008
Preceded by	Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting (Acting)
Member of Parliament for Bentong
Incumbent
Assumed office 1999
Majority	12,549

Political party	Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) part of Barisan Nasional
Spouse	Datin Lee Sun Loo
Children	3 children
Occupation	Nutritionist
Religion	Buddhist

Datuk Liow Tiong Lai is a Malaysian politician who is currently serving as the Health Minister in the Malaysian cabinet. He is also the Chairman of the Youth wing of the Malaysian Chinese Association, a major component party of the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition.

1 Background
2 Political involvement
3 Keris controversy
4 References
5 Home pages

[edit] Background

Born in Malacca, ironically the man who is now the Health Minister once wanted to be a doctor but was thwarted by the university quota system and graduated with a Bachelor in Science (Nutrition) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia instead.^[1] He later furthered his studies with a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

He is married to Datin Lee Sun Loo and has three children. He is a known vegetarian and is a strong advocate of healthy eating, especially eating organic food.

[edit] Political involvement

Liow officially joined the Malaysian Chinese Association in 1981. Soon after graduating from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 1986, he joined MCA as a research assistant with a monthly salary of RM700. After two decades of steady rise in the party, he was appointed as MCA Youth chief in 2005.

Liow is also Bentong MP, and has retained the parliamentary seat since the 1999 general elections. He won by a 12,549 majority in the just concluded 12th general election against Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Ponusamy Govindasamy.

From 1989 to 1999, Liow served as press secretary to the then Human Resources Minister Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek and later as his political secretary. He held the post of Deputy Youth and Sports Minister since 2006 after the Cabinet underwent a revamp.

[edit] Keris controversy

In the 2006 UMNO Annual General Assembly, Hishamuddin Hussein (the current Education Minister) became infamous for waving the keris (traditional Malay dagger). He defended his actions saying that events earlier in the year related to the status of Islam in Malaysia and the NEP had "played on the Malay psyche. If they had not been allowed to release their feelings in a controlled channel, it could have been even worse." He defended his usage of the keris, saying it was meant "to motivate the Malays" and that it "is here to stay", denying that it was a symbol of Malay supremacy (ketuanan Melayu).^[2]

Hishammuddin also asserted that "The keris is on the Umno flag...It is a symbol of Malay culture. You give keris as gifts to non-Malays, and non-Malays give them to me at functions."

However Liow, who is MCA Youth chief, hit back by saying that:

“

If I hold a Chinese sword at a wushu function, it would be different than if I hold one at a political event. This was a political function, so it is seen in a different context. It can create uneasiness.

”