KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has conveyed his condolences to the family of former health minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng, who died yesterday afternoon.

Anwar said Chua had contributed immensely to the country, as he was the country’s longest-serving health minister, for nine years from 1995 to 2004.

He said Chua had also played an important role in PKR, especially when leading the party in Johor.

"All his deeds and contributions will be remembered by the people and his friends who were together with him in fighting for our beloved country. I pray for his family’s well-being,” Anwar, who is also PKR president, said in a Facebook post.

Chua, 80, died at the Serdang Hospital near here at 4.04pm.

He was an MCA vice-president before quitting the party to join PKR in 2009. Within a year of joining PKR, he was elected as its vice-president. — Bernama