Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan (1920-1997)
Born Aug 20, 1920 in Betong, Sarawak.
Mixed Iban and Chinese parentage
Like Tan Sri Adenan Satem, he loved singing and movies. Japanese song ‘Kuni No Hana’ (Flower of the Nation) and Terang Bulan were among his favourites. He was also a P Ramlee fan. He was founder and president of the Sarawak Dayak Association from 1958 to 1960 and helped found the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) in 1961, In the 1962 general SNAP won many seats. Ningkan was appointed Sarawak’s first chief minister on July 21, 1963 by then governor Sir Alexander Waddell. The 1966 Sarawak constitutional crisis saw Ningkan being ousted from office but he was reinstated by the Borneo High Court on Sept 7, 1966. The Government amended the Sarawak Constitution to give the Sarawak governor the right to commence the Council Negri meeting. A vote of no confidence was passed on Sept 23, 1966 resulting in the removal of Ningkan from the chief minister office for the second time. Ningkan died peacefully aged 76 on March 31, 1997 in Kuching.
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