Sarawak Legislative Assembly pays tribute to Mutang Tagal

KUCHING: The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly today paid tribute in honour of the late Dewan Negara president Datuk Mutang Tagal who died this morning.

Deputy Speaker Datuk Idris Buang called on the assembly to observe a minute’s silence.

“It is with utmost sadness and regret i have to announce that Datuk Mutang has just passed away while we were on session this morning.

“I’m humbly requested all ahli Yang Berhormat (assemblymen) to show our respect to the late Mutang by giving a one minute silence and say prayers according to our respective beliefs,” he said.

Mutang died at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur at 11.46 am today. He was 69.

Mutang began receiving treatment at IJN shortly after arriving from Azerbaijan on May 6, following a working visit that started on April 29 and returning earlier than scheduled.

The Senate president had led a Malaysian delegation to attend the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue held from May 1 to 3 in Baku.

On Feb 19, Mutang was appointed as the 20th president of the Dewan Negara, replacing Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who relinquished the post following his appointment as the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak.

Mutang made history as the first leader from the Lun Bawang ethnic group to be appointed as the Senate president.