KUALA LUMPUR: Former Bukit Mas member of parliament Senator Datuk Mutang Tagal has been appointed the 20th Dewan Negara president.
Mutang, who was sworn in as a senator only today, before Dewan Negara Deputy President Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, is the first indigenous Sarawakian to be appointed to the post.
The post of senate president has been vacant since January after the resignation of Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who was subsequently appointed Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak.
Born on Oct 5, 1954, Mutang was a lawyer and businessman before joining politics.
The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu member served as Bukit Mas MP from April 1982 to October 1990.
He is an ethnic Lun Bawang, a subgroup of Dayak native to Sarawak.
Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim nominated Mutang, the sole candidate for the post, at the Special Meeting of the Dewan Negara today.
"He is a native of Sarawak, from the Lun Bawang ethnic group. This is a historic appointment, and (marks) the continued commitment of the Madani government to recognise and ensure that the voice, views and representation of all people, including the Ulu people, in Parliament.
"He is a legal practitioner, and has served as a member of the Dewan Rakyat for two terms. Indeed, he has such a vast experience," he said.
The motion was seconded by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
Mutang, 69, has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Curtin University, and currently holds several positions, including president of the Orang Ulu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OUCCI).
He is also the legal adviser to Persatuan Lun Bawang Sarawak, and vice-president of the Sarawak Business Federation (SBF).
Meanwhile, the Office of the Dewan Negara President, in a statement, said that Mutang's appointment as a senator was for a period of three years, starting from Feb 15, until Feb 14, 2027.
It said that Mutang's appointment was consented to by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.