KUCHING: Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar congratulated Senator Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah on his recent appointment as the 21st President of Dewan Negara.
Wan Junaidi said he is delighted at the selection of another Sarawakian for the esteemed position.
“I am indeed happy to see that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has chosen a Sarawak leader again to be nominated and eventually endorsed by the members of the Senate to become its 21st President of the Senate of Parliament Malaysia.
“Awang Beeme appointment is indeed significant as it also coincides with the date in which Sarawak attained it self-government 61 years ago on July 22, 1963, the date preceding the formation of Malaysia on the Sept 16, 1963,” he said in a statement today.
Wan Junaidi said that as a former Senate president, he hoped Awang Beeme would continue to assist the federal government’s effort to continue parliamentary reforms and to enhance the check and balance mechanism of which he has laid before his resignation on Jan 19, this year.
Awang Bemee, 65, replaces the late senator Datuk Mutang Tagal, who passed away on May 10 at the age of 70 due to heart complications.
The veteran politician had earlier been sworn in as Senator at the Dewan Negara on July 15.
He was nominated for the position by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
