IF his name is listed as a candidate in the general election (GE) this time, it means he will be standing for the eighth time.
The fact is, he has weathered the pressure of the election since 1990. He is still strong, confident and energetic to this day.
That is the charm and charisma of a figure by the name of Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, whom I first met during the 1995 GE.
I was a junior reporter at the time and I was assigned to cover Sebuyau.
That was the first time I travelled to Sebuyau Town, and got the chance to catch a ride with him and his beloved (now late) wife, Datin Sri Fiona Sim Norjanah Abdullah.
We boarded a boat from Kampung Pendam (now Sadong Jaya) jetty to Kampung Sebuyau, the day before the nomination process took place.
The boat we were aboard broke down in the middle of the river while we were on our way. And we drifted for about 40 minutes.
Fortunately, there was an ATUR type cell phone at the time, and he instantly phoned his followers in Kampung Sebuyau.
They quickly picked us up to ensure that “Datuk Wan” and the nomination form get safely to the village.
As a young journalist, what came to mind then was the “water-beast” because we were in a crocodile pit.
But Datuk Wan, who is famous for his cowboy hat, managed to calm everyone down and kept telling stories so that we didn’t feel scared.
And in the election, he won unopposed. Datuk Wan was competing for the second time then.
Datuk Wan, who contested as a new face in 1990, was challenged by another notable political figure of the time, Wan Habib Mahmud.
Datuk Wan Junaidi garnered 5,795 votes, opening the door to Parliament, while Wan Habib got only 3,130 votes.
In 1999, he ran for re-election and polled 7,903 votes, compared to his competitor, Syed Assimie Ismail, who received only 2,689 votes.
In the run-up to the 2004 GE, the Batang Lupar parliamentary constituency was roiled when Datuk Wan and his assemblyman were accused of being “not equal.”
A similar thing happened in the Santubong constituency involving Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) senior official Abang Johari Tun Openg, was believed to have proposed changing the positions of these two candidates so that they may continue to serve without being surrounded by concerns.
The wonderful notion, it turned out, found a place in the heart of Abdul Taib Mahmud, who chaired PBB at the time.
Thus, Datuk Wan was relocated to the Santubong parliamentary constituency. He faced Independent candidate, Idris Bohari, a former employee who had served as a state administrative official in Sematan, during the election. Idris only polled 2,030 votes, whereas Datuk Wan was able to garner 12,590 votes.
It gave a new lease of life to this handsome man of Arab descent. In 2008, he was at stake again, and this time, he obtained 15,800 votes, to defeat Rahamat Idil Latip who only received 3,855 votes.
Datuk Wan gained fame as a result of this triumph and was eventually chosen to serve as the Dewan Rakyat’s Deputy Speaker.
In this position he manifested his legal expertise and discipline in calming down boisterous lawmakers.
In the 2013 GE, Datuk Wan showed no signs of slowing down. This time, he received 24,655 votes, defeating Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) Zulrusdi Mohamad Hol, who received just 3,719 votes. Datuk Wan was appointed deputy home minister after this victory, a position he maintained up until July 2015.
Datuk Wan’s name was chosen to fill the position of full minister with the portfolio of Environment and Natural Resources when a cabinet reshuffle was announced in 2015.
He served this post with distinction till 2018, and some of his accomplishments included addressing the flooding issue and bauxite contamination by suggesting water line and breakwater projects.
In the 14th GE, Datuk Wan was once again set to defend the Santubong parliamentary seat.
And this time, he recorded one of the biggest majorities, when he garnered 26,379 votes, beating the Amanah candidate, Mohd Fidzuan Zaidi who polled only 6,894 votes.
Nevertheless, Datuk Wan’s found himself sitting in the opposition bench for the first time after Barisan Nasional could not form a government.
Datuk Wan was granted a second chance in government administration in 2020 when there was a change of government as a result of the Sheraton Move.
When Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was made prime minister and Perikatan Nasional was in charge of running the government, Datuk Wan was appointed Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives.
When Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob took over as Prime Minister in 2021, Wan Junaidi was named Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Parliament and Law.
Datuk Wan performed admirably in this ministry, particularly in bringing about changes to Parliament and the country’s laws.
This includes enacting the anti-hopping law and permitting automatic voter registration for those above the age of 18.
He has a great heart and consistently prioritises the interests of the state and the country over personal interests.
That being said, he will always concur with and accept any decision made by the party’s leadership, whom he loves.
He has demonstrated that “Datuk Wan,” whether nominated or rejected, would be recognised for his numerous attempts to alter the nation’s judicial and legal system, notably by amending the Federal Constitution in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
