Kota Sentosa rep praises new Sarawak Governor Wan Junaidi’s problem-solving approach

Wilfred Yap Yau Sin

KUCHING, Jan 26: Sarawak Governor Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar is a problem solver, hardworking and not a man of many words but gets things done, says Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap Yau Sin.

Reminiscing his experience when working as a legal assistant at Wan Junaidi’s legal firm in 1993, Yap said the first impression he got during the job interview with him was that he was a straightforward person, professional, and does his work by the book.

“As a junior lawyer at that time, our Tun was always ever ready to give me sound and solid advice and always told me to think outside the box when looking at legal issues.

“And his priority has always been on the welfare of his clients when he was a lawyer and the people when he was serving as a Member of Parliament,” he said in a statement today.

Yap said he was also inspired by Wan Junaidi as a politician and learn a lot from his ways of doing things by putting the needs and welfare of the people above personal interest.

According to him, before he was elected as the assemblyman for Kota Sentosa, he used to come to him with difficult problems when serving as the Sarawak United Peoples’s Party (SUPP) Public Complaint Bureau Chief previously and Tun would extend his assistance, expertise and connections with the relevant authorities.

“An example was when Tun assisted me with communicating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Malaysian Consulate General in Pontianak in solving the plight of a Sarawakian woman who was arrested by the Indonesian authorities when she entered West Kalimantan through Serikin, Bau using ‘jalan tikus’ without a valid passport. I was able to have her deported back to Kuching with the Tun’s assistance,” he said.

He said Wan Junaidi was also instrumental in pushing through the amendments to four articles of the Federal Constitution relating to the rights of Sarawak.

The four amendments enshrined in the Federal Constitution (Amendment) Act 2022 involved the list of the states of the Federation in Claus 2 of Article1, the definition of the Federation and the new definition of Malaysia Day in Claus 2 of Article 160, the indigenous races of Sarawak in Clause (6)(a) of the Article 161S; and the removal of Clause 7 of Article 161A.

“I take this opportunity to wish him heartiest congratulations on his appointment as the 8th Sarawak Governor and that he will be able to bring Sarawak to greater heights with his vast experience and knowledge,” he added.

Earlier today, Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud stepped down as the 7th Sarawak Governor ahead of the expiration of his term, with Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar assuming the position as Head of State. — DayakDaily