Simon Michael Fung Kui Heong

Simon Michael Fung Kui Heong (3 June 1931 – 16 November 1985) was a Malaysian prelate of the Catholic Church. He was named as the third Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate of Kota Kinabalu (now Archdiocese) and Titular Bishop of Catabum Castra in 1975, and then was elevated as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Kota Kinabalu in 1977, with both positions given by Pope Paul VI. He was the first Sabahan to ever become a Bishop in Malaysia. He died on 16 November 1985, two days after his 10th episcopal ordination anniversary.

Priestly ministry Simon Fung was born on 3 June 1931 in Sandakan. He decided to enter the priesthood by entering the College General Major Seminary Penang in 1955 and was ordained a priest in 1963. Some of the posts that he served are Keningau (1964–1966), Tambunan (1966–1968) and Kudat (1968–1970). The prelate then continued his studies to gain his Doctorate in Divinity. He then came back and served at Tenom (1972–1975).

Episcopal ministry

Appointments On 14 November 1975, he was chosen to become a bishop by Pope Paul VI and consecrated by Rt. Rev. Anthony Denis Galvin from the Diocese of Miri, Sarawak, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral as the new vicar apostolic of Kota Kinabalu, with the added post of Titular Bishop of Cantabum Castra.

State award On 16 September 1982, the prelate was awarded a Datukship with the Commander of the Order of Kinabalu Award (P.G.D.K.) by Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah, Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Mohamad Adnan Robert in conjunction with his 65th official birthday celebrations for the recognition of the contributions made by the prelate and the church to the development of the state as a whole.

Two schools have been named in his honour, the SRS Datuk Simon Fung (primary school) and the Taska/Tadika Datuk Simon Fung (kindergarten), both in the St Simon Educational Complex at Kingfisher, Likas, Kota Kinabalu.