still serving as Environment Minister, was awarded the Langkawi Award for to work in launching a sea turtle satellite tracking program and spearheading a new reefball project for coral reefs. Retirement from politics Wong retired from politics in 2001. He continued to author new books and poems during his retirement. Wong authored The Price of Loyalty, a book about his imprisonment at the Kamunting detention center under the Internal Security Act. By 2003, Wong had published the third addition of The Birth of Malaysia, a history of the country. He also released a third book, Memories of Speeches at the Council Negri. In addition to his books, Wong also wrote poetry during his later life. His poetry collections included A Special Breed in 1981, Shimmering Moonbeams in 1983, Buy a Little Time in 1989 and Beautiful Butterfly in 2009. Wong also spearheaded the push to have Malaysia Day declared a national holiday. In 2010, Malaysia Day was finally declared an official holiday, to be celebrated nationwide on 16 September of every year. Wong spoke of Malaysia Day in 2010 saying, "It is my hope that Malaysia Day will be celebrated every 16 September. People should remember it because it's a historic occasion." Death James Wong suffered a heart attack on 18 July 2011. He died shortly after 10 a.m. at the Normah Medical Specialist Centre in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, at the age of 90. Wong was survived by his wife, Datin Amar Valerie Bong; five daughters; three sons; thirteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was buried in Limbang at the family cemetery in Jalan Pandaruan. Dignitaries in attendance included members of each of Sarawak's major ethnic groups, including the Chinese, the Kedayan, Brunei Malays, Bisaya, Tabun, Lun Bawang and Iban. Sarawak's government announced that it will put together an exhibit of Wong's documents at the state museum. References 1922 births 2011 deaths Deputy Chief Ministers of Sarawak Members of the Dewan Rakyat Members of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Sarawak state ministers Malaysian Leaders of the Opposition Sarawak National Party politicians Malaysian poets Malaysian writers People from Sarawak Malaysian people of Hakka descent Malaysian politicians of Chinese descent 20th-century poets