On 23 February, he announced that he would not defend for the Sibu parliamentary seat in 2013 Malaysian general elections on doctors' advice. He went into a coma on 2 May 2014 but never woke up from it. On 17 May, the Sarawak government had approved RM 1 million to pay for Ho Leng's medical expenses. He died on 21 June 2014 at Rejang Medical Centre, Sibu after a year-and-a-half struggle with brain cancer. His funeral service was held at Hwai Ang Methodist church and his remains were buried at Methodist Cemetery, Sibu.