TYT: Awg Bemee’s appointment as Senate President on Sarawak Day significant

KUCHING (July 26): The appointment Senator Datuk Awang Bemee Ali Basah as the 21st Dewan Negara President on Monday is indeed significant as July 22 marked Sarawak’s attainment of self-governance 61 years ago, preceding the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16,1963.

Sarawak Governor Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this when extending his warmest congratulations to Awang Bemee.

Wan Junaidi said he was truly delighted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim once again selected a leader from Sarawak, who was nominated and endorsed by the members of the Senate, to serve as Dewan Negara president.

“As a former Senate president, it is my sincere hope that Datuk Awang Bemee will continue to support the federal government’s efforts to continue the reform of our Parliament and improve the checks and balances mechanism that I judiciously put in place before my resignation on Jan 19, 2024,” said Wan Junaidi.

Awang Bemee was appointed Senate president after the post fell vacant upon the demise of fellow Sarawakian Datuk Mutang Tagal on May 10.

Mutang made history on Feb 19, 2024, when he became the first member of the Dayak community to be appointed to the post.

He succeeded Wan Junaidi, after the latter was appointed the eighth Governor of Sarawak.

Awang Bemee previously served in the High Court of Borneo Sarawak from 1984 and handled various cases at all levels, including the Federal Court.

He had been Kuching Port Authority (KPA) chairman since 1998 and was Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) legal advisor.

He previously served as Nangka assemblyman from 1996 to 2011.

Awang Bemee is the fourth Sarawakian appointed to the top post after the late Tan Sri Datuk Abang Ahmad Urai (1988 to 1990), Wan Junaidi (2023-2024), and Mutang (2024).