KUCHING: The Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak, Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, hopes that the newly-appointed Dewan Negara president, Datuk Awang Beeme Awang Ali Basah, will continue to aid the federal government's effort to implement parliamentary reforms.
At the same time, he hoped that Awang Beeme would continue to enhance the check-and-balance mechanism that he (Wan Junaidi) had laid out when he was the Senate president before his resignation on January 19.
In his congratulatory message to Awang Bemee, Wan Junaidi said he was happy to see Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim select another Sarawakian to be appointed to the presidency.
Awang Bemee succeeded another Sarawakian, Datuk Mutang Tagal, who died in office on May 10.
Wan Junaidi said Awang Beeme's appointment as the 21st Senate President was significant as it also coincided with the date which Sarawak attained its self-rule 61 years ago on July 22, 1963.