In the 2018 election, was fielded by the DAP again to contest in Sandakan, facing a new candidate Lim Ming Hoo from the LDP.[5][6] He won the election with a large majority.[7][8]
Controversies and issues
Criticism of ESSCOM
In 2015, Wong criticised the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) for its costly formation despite recurring kidnapping cases and expressed disappointment towards the "irresponsible and arrogant attitude by [sic] the government leaders as it seems as they are trying to avoid the blame from public".[9] A year before, Wong had urged the government to implement the re-issuance of identity cards in Sabah in response to the many immigrants from the southern Philippines.[10]
Acceptance of Sabah State Awards and Datukship
In 2018, Wong accepted the Sabah State Award of Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK) (which carries the title of "Datuk") in accordance with the Yang di-Pertua Sabah Tun Juhar Mahiruddin's 65th birthday; this was in opposition to the DAP's Central Executive Committee policy of disallowing the acceptance of awards and titles by elected representatives and local councillors during their period of active political service.[11] Wong was neither apologetic to the party leadership nor willing to return the award.[12]
Wong died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia on 28 March 2019 due to a heart attack during a morning hike on the same day.[18] His body was flown back to his hometown of Sandakan to be laid to rest.[19]
