Malaysian-born duo making headway in Australian politics

PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Two Malaysian-born politicians have made headway in the Australian federal election.

Veteran senior politician Penny Wong was sworn in as foreign minister on Monday (May 23) under the Labor government of Mr Anthony Albanese.

The law and arts graduate from the University of Adelaide was born in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and then moved to Australia in 1976 as an eight-year-old with her mother.

She is the daughter of respected architect Francis Wong.

In an interview with The Star in 2007, Mr Wong described his daughter as a go-getter and that he never expected her to become a politician.

"I wanted her to be a doctor and she enrolled for it. A year later, she switched to law after going on a student exchange programme to Brazil where she saw the need to help people," said Mr Wong.

Before entering politics, Ms Wong worked for a union, as a ministerial adviser in the New South Wales Labor government, and as a lawyer.

Ms Wong was elected senator in 2001 and in 2008, and became the first Asian-born member of an Australian Cabinet when she served as climate change minister in the Kevin Rudd administration.

In 2013, she became the leader of the government in the Senate and later, after the change of government, she was appointed the leader of the ppposition in the Senate.

She is the first woman to hold these roles.

Meanwhile, Mr Sam Lim, 60, won the MP's seat of Tangney in western Australia.

The Johor-born Mr Lim was a former dolphin trainer and a policeman who was awarded Officer of the Year at the Nine News Police Excellence Awards in December 2020 for his role with multicultural communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

His victory over Mr Ben Morton, an adviser to former prime minister Scott Morison, was a surprise, according to media reports.

The West Australian news site reported that the Mr Lim and his group of family and friends were gathered at Mount Pleasant Bowling Club when the results were announced, but he almost missed it.

"I had a runny nose and was blowing my nose in the bathroom. When I came out, someone hugged me and tried to throw me in the air, and I was thinking to myself 'What is happening'," he was quoted as saying.

Mr Lim, who migrated to Australia in 2002 with his family, can speak 10 languages.

According to Australia's ABC News, Mr Lim said that he grew up in a "very poor family".

"There was no power or water," he said.

He added: "So we had to struggle, the first fifteen years of my life, but that 15 years built me up to today."

Mr Lim cited that his time working as a dolphin trainer in Malaysia was the "best job ever".

"I love it because dolphins are so genuine; dolphins never hurt you. If you feel hurt, you jump into the swimming pool. The dolphin will come to you and try to comfort you," he was quoted as saying.

Mr Lim also served as a police officer for two years with the Royal Malaysian Police Force.