The University of Otago Faculty of Law project manager was one of 37 people granted citizenship at a ceremony at the Municipal Chambers yesterday.
Mr Wee said after living in Dunedin for almost 30 years he had picked up Te Reo through ‘‘gradual osmosis''.
‘‘I wanted to speak in Te Reo because it's important to celebrate both the traditions of Te Reo and the New Zealand British heritage.''
Mr Wee's affirmation received a particularly loud applause from the audience.
Dunedin had been home since he arrived to finish his schooling at Otago Boys' High School, he said.
After living in New Zealand for so long, he was happy to finally be a citizen.
‘‘But it will be quite new to me going to Malaysia as a New Zealand citizen,'' he said, laughing.
Other new citizens were. - Beena Aprem (India), Jebin Jaimon Joseph (India), Jeslin Elza Jaimon (India), Francisco Javier Araya Suarez (Chile), Tatiana Paola Biggemann Meriles (Bolivia/Germany), Rhesa Prabowo Budhidarmo (Indonesia), Lovewell Tinashe Bvundura (Zimbabwe), Leo Perfecto Cabale (Philipines), Kent James Centers (United States), Iain Stuart Donaldson (UK), Claire Hagglund (Uk), Jithin Jose (India), Assel Kanengoni (Zimbabwe), Tracey Kendall (UK), Stenar Oliver Kirs (Estonia), Jonathan Vinoth Kumar (Malaysia), Jeremiah Vinesh Kumar (Malaysia), Elton Lani (Albania/UK), Chanwon Lee (Korea), Yeong Hyeon Lee (Korea), Jean Paul Lorenzen (Australia), Susan Elizabeth Macdonald (Not Attending (Australia), Shyni Mathew (India), Lea Kristina Mueller (Germany), Nicole Annette O'Neill (UK), Kosal Pheng (Cambodia), Fiona Anne Ross (UK), Zeeshan Samdani (Pakistan), Belinda Helena Simpson (Netherlands), Tammy Jade Soon (Samoa), Soo Tin Spence (Singapore), Nanthana Srihabut (Thailand), Susan Mary Stockwell (UK), Ying Ting Tang (Malaysia), Sefton Tupou Vuli (Fiji), Elizabeth Anne Wallace (UK), Richman Yong Kuan Wee (Malaysia), Karen Whyte (Denmark), Hassen Abdi Yusuf (Somalia), Alison Maria Zani (UK).
