Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chiew (15 September 1942 – 9 April 2010) was a Malaysian politician. He represented Sibu in the Parliament of Malaysia from 1990 until his death in 2010, and served as Deputy Minister of Transport from April 2009 until his death. Lau was also a vice-president of the Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP).

Background

Lau was born to a poor family and his mother died when he was three years old. He was schooled at St Michael's College, Adelaide and studied accountancy at the South Australia Institute of Technology (now the University of South Australia). In Australia he met his wife, Kapitan Dato' Janet Lau Ung Hie. He had three children with his wife; Alvin Lau Lee Ren (elder son), Tammy Lau Lee Teng (only daughter) and Pierre Lau Lee Wui (younger son). His political career began in 1983 when he joined the SUPP party. He first contested a Parliamentary election in the 1990 Malaysian general election, winning the seat of Sibu against a Democratic Action Party candidate by a majority of 2,008 votes. He defended the seat in four further elections until 2008.

Death

Lau died of bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) in his home in Kuala Lumpur on 9 April 2010. His remains arrived in Sibu at night on the same day and his funeral was held two days later on 11 April 2010. The funeral began with a procession around Sibu town centre followed by a requiem mass at St. Theresa's Catholic Church in the Sungai Merah neighbourhood. His body was later buried at the Nirvana Memorial Park in Oya Road, just outside town.

Election results

Honours