CHUA Jui Meng, who served as health minister from 1995 to 2004, has died.

The 80-year-old was the country’s longest-serving health minister.

MCA spokesman Mike Chong Yew Chuan confirmed the party’s five-term Bakri lawmaker had died.

A lawyer, Chua began his political career in 1976 when he joined MCA.

He made his electoral debut in Bakri in the 1986 general election and became the party’s vice-president in 1990.

Chua was made health minister after the 1995 general election.

He quit MCA to join PKR in July 2009 and was made Johor PKR chief.

He contested the Segamat parliamentary seat on a PKR ticket in the 2013 general election, but lost to incumbent S Subramaniam. – December 3, 2023.