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By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, June 18: Tan Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar is expected to be sworn in as Dewan Negara president tomorrow (June 19).
Speaking to DayakDaily today, the 78-year-old veteran politician and former federal law minister said he was informed of the nomination at 2pm on June 13, stating that it was given approval by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
It was also reported that he was the sole nominee for the post.
Thus, he has been in Kuala Lumpur since yesterday (June 17) to be briefed on the preparation of the swearing-in ceremony which will take place tomorrow.
He would be sworn in as a senator first before being declared as the Senate president.
Wan Junaidi also disclosed that tomorrow’s oath-taking ceremony would be slightly different than previous ones and it would be a first in history.
Previously, the new Dewan Negara president would be sworn-in before the incumbent president and deputy president but the most recent president Tan Sri Rais Yatim’s tenure ended on June 15.
“When the Dewan Negara commences tomorrow, the previous speaker and his deputy are no longer around to serve due to the end of their terms.
“Thus, yesterday (June 17) I was briefed that the Dewan Negara would appoint an existing senator temporarily to chair the oath-taking ceremony,” he explained in an interview.
He further said if there are no other nominees for the post, he would be sworn-in as the president and then sit to chair the election of the deputy president post.
“There will be an election between two nominees for the deputy president post; each from the government and the opposition,” he added.
Wan Junaidi has held various ministerial posts with his last being Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament) from August 2021 until November 2022.
He served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Santubong constituency from 2004 until 2022, after representing the Batang Lupar federal constituency from 1990 to 2004. — DayakDaily
