Moresby residents farewell Wong

By JASON GIMA WURI
PEOPLE from all walks of life joined family and friends to farewell slain Malaysian businessman Wong Tee Tee at an emotional funeral service at the Rev Sioni Kami Memorial church in Port Moresby yesterday.
The late Wong, who was general manager of Tango Supermarket at the time of his death, was shot dead on the Hohola Freeway tunnel last Wednesday.
Former Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane paid tribute to his friend.
“He was a good man, and he was here to help PNG develop.
“He never did any harm to anyone to deserve what he got.
“This case must be investigated and the suspects must be brought to justice for what they did.
“We need more people like the late Wong, people who continue to support our grassroots in every possible way by giving them a sense of hope and providing employment through their businesses,” Sir Paulias said.
Tango Supermarket representative Hara Tom Vai said the late Wong was a father figure to all his employees.
“We called him boss Wong but he was always down to earth and simple in his conduct at work,” Vai said.
“He provided for us when we were in need and he encouraged us to value hard work.
“There are so many memories that he has left behind but one that will stay with me is when one  we were working late into the night and the late Tee Tee visited us carrying a kettle of coffee and a tray of sandwiches for us.
“What sort of boss would do this?
“That’s the kind of heart this great man had for us.
“Losing a man like this is like losing a family member,” she said.
Former secretary to Sir Paulias, John Waingut, a close friend of the late Wong, said he had lost a true brother.
“He was a true Papua New Guinean at heart who was always willing to help the needy and the unfortunate,” he said.
“The late Tee Tee always told me that PNG was a money country and if every one of the 6.6 million Papua New Guineans determined in their hearts to make K1 a day, we would be K6.6 million richer and to multiply that by the number of days in a year. We would be so wealthy.
“I know there are a lot of anti-government sentiments everywhere but realistically Asians are here to invest in PNG.”
He said the late Wong was a businessman and he wanted to help PNG.
“Through my friendship with him, he became a close friend of Sir Paulias’ and helped out with the Governor-General’s annual walk and provided in kind towards Government House activities.
“The people who did this killing are bigger than PNG and I appeal to authorities to bring in international investigators and police to help work on the case,” Waingut said.
The late Wong’s body was driven around for the last time in Port Moresby after the funeral service and then taken back to the funeral home to be cremated.
His ashes will be taken to Singapore today to be placed in a temple.