KUCHING, Jan 26: Newly minted Sarawak Governor Tan Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has been awarded the country’s highest award, the Darjah Kebesaran Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara (SMN), which carries the title ‘Tun’.
This happened following his acceptance of the appointment as Sarawak’s 8th Head of State from the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah at Istana Negara at Istana Negara this morning.
Present at the ceremony were Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah and Wan Junaidi’s wife Toh Puan Sri Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Fadillah Yusof, Speaker of Parliament Tan Sri Johari Abdul, Speaker of Sarawak Legislative Assembly Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar, Attorney-General Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh, Keeper of Rulers’ Seal Tan Sri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia Tan Sri Mohamad Zuki Ali, Sarawak Secretary Datuk Amar Mohammad Abu Bakar Marzuki, and Sarawak Attorney General Datu Safri Ali.
Also in attendance were Minister of Works Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi; Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri; Deputy Minister of Health Dato Lukanisman; Deputy Minister of Digital Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong; Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Rubiah Wang; and Deputy Minister of Transport Datuk Hasbi Habibollah.
Wan Junaidi served as the 19th Dewan Negara president and Senator from June 19, 2023, before resigning on Jan 19, 2024.
Born on Feb 1, 1945, he worked as a police officer in the Royal Malaysia Police before transitioning to a career as a lawyer.
He entered politics by winning the Batang Lupar parliamentary seat in the 1990 General Election (GE), serving until March 2004.
In the 2004 GE, he switched to the Santubong parliamentary seat, retaining it for four terms until 2022, when he opted not to seek re-election in the 15th GE.
Wan Junaidi’s political journey includes being elected as one of Parliament’s Deputy Speakers on April 28, 2008, serving for one term.
He held key positions in various administrations, including Minister of Natural Resources and Environment and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs in the Barisan Nasional (BN) government under former Prime Minister Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak (May 2013 to July 2015).
Additionally, he served as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department responsible for Parliament and Law in the BN administration under former Prime Minister Dato Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (from August 2021 until the collapse of the BN administration in November 2022).
Wan Junaidi also assumed the role of Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration under former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (from March 2020 until the collapse of the PN administration in August 2021). — DayakDaily
