KUALA LUMPUR: Health Minister and Labis MP Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek began his political career as head of the MCA Zabedah Timur branch in Johor in 1982.

In 1985, he was made chairman of his hometown division, Batu Pahat, a post to which he was returned unopposed in the 1993 and 2005 party elections.

Turning 61 today, the medical doctor rose up the ranks to become Johor state deputy chairman in 1993 before becoming chairman 10 years later.

He was also elected into the party central committee in 2002.

He was selected into the party disciplinary board in 2004, and a year later was voted a vice-president of the party, a position he still retains.

Dr Chua has contested in five general elections, four of which were for the Penggeram state assembly seat. He won the Labis parliamentary seat in 2004 by a majority of 10,279 votes against a DAP candidate.

After receiving his medical training from Universiti Malaya, he was a houseman at Johor Bahru General Hospital for a year before becoming a medical officer at Batu Pahat District Hospital in 1974.

He had been in private practice for several years before venturing into politics full-time.

He replaced Datuk Seri Chua Jui Meng as health minister after the 2004 general election.

He is married to Datin Seri Wong Sek Hin and has three grown children -- Tee Joo, Tee Yong and Tee Ling.