Sarawak premier says submitted name of new Senate president candidate to PM Anwar

Malay Mail

KUCHING, June 24 — Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today said he has submitted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim a name from Sarawak to be next Dewan Negara president to take over from the late Datuk Mutang Tagal.

He said the name will be announced by the prime minister when the time comes.

“So, you just have to wait. I am also waiting,” he told reporters after opening the two-day Iban cultural symposium and exposition here.

He said the name of the next senate president will definitely be from Sarawak.

Mutang, 70, was appointed as a senator and then Dewan Negara president on February 15 this year and died three months later on May 10 of heart complications at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur.

Abang also told reporters that he had a discussion with Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) members of Parliament and senators in Kuala Lumpur last night over several matters relating to the state’s rights that may be brought up for debate in Parliament.

He said they also discussed a Bill to amend the Port Authorities Act that is expected to be tabled in Parliament in the current session of Parliament.

He said the Bill will pull out the Bintulu Port as a federal port for Sarawak to take over.

Among those present at the discussion were Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, Deputy Ministers, Sarawak Attorney General Datuk Saferi Ali and Deputy Sarawak Secretary Datuk Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel.