KUCHING, March 7 — Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS Baru) president Cobbold John Lusoi died after collapsing at his house in Kuala Lumpur about 7am today. He was 57.
He is survived by a wife and three daughters.
PBDS secretary-general Anthony Nais said Lusoi had a history of heart complications.
“I am greatly shocked to hear of his sudden demise,” Nais said when contacted.
He said Lusoi had been treated at the Sarawak Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan since last year.
“He intended to have heart surgery at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur but he was advised against it due to the complicated nature of his heart condition,” Nais said.
He said arrangements were underway to bring Lusoi’s body back to his longhouse at Sungai Pinang in Simunjan, expected to be either late this afternoon or tomorrow.
“His mother wants his body to be brought home for burial at his longhouse,” he said.
An active native customary rights activist, Lusoi was elected PBDS Baru president in the triennial delegates conference on July 30, 2016, taking over from founding president Louis Jarau.
He defeated lawyer Patrick Anek Uren in the contest for the presidency.
After completing his Senior Chinese Middle School, Lusoi went to further his studies in New Zealand and graduated with a Masters degree in Agriculture Science.
In politics, he had contested in both parliamentary and state elections.
He contested the Sri Aman parliamentary seat twice and the state seats of Balai Ringgin, Kedup and Bukit Semuja.
