Unity govt council meeting discusses candidates for Senate president’s post

KUCHING (Jan 23): The Unity Government Leadership Consultative Council meeting held at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya last night had discussed on candidates to fill the vacant Dewan Negara president’s post.

The Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) in a report stated the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was also attended by Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman.

The meeting was also the first for the Unity Government Leadership Consultative Council this year.

Also in attendance were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is GPS parliamentary chief whip, and Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian who is Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president.

The Dewan Negara president post is now vacant after Tan Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar tendered his resignation on January 19.

Anwar had told reporters in Kuala Lumpur yesterday that Wan Junaidi has been proposed as the eighth Sarawak Head of State and an official announcement is expected to be made in a few more days.

Anwar confirmed that he had submitted the former Dewan Negara president’s name to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah last week, as the successor to the incumbent head of state Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.