KUALA LUMPUR: The proposal by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for the next Governor of the state has been presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said the candidate was presented to Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah last week.
“The King will give his consent ‘maybe in a day or two’,” he told reporters after opening the Global Intellectual Discourse 2024 here yesterday.
On Friday, a news portal reported that Tan Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar tendered his resignation as Dewan Negara president and is expected to be the next Sarawak Governor.
The portal also speculated that Wan Junaidi will take the oath of office at a later date.
The government nominated Wan Junaidi as the Senate president in June last year, succeeding Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim being briefed on silicon fuelled hydrogen genset after launching the Global Intellectual Discourse 2024 at Universiti Malaya on January 22.Looking on are Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir (behind Anwar). — AZMAN GHANI/The Star
Anwar also said the unity government met on Sunday night to discuss the Dewan Negara president’s post.
He said the meeting was held to speed up the appointment.
“We will discuss and have a unity government’s secretariat meeting to expedite the appointment,” he said while stopping short of mentioning the names of any candidates for the post.
Earlier during his opening speech, Anwar instructed the Higher Education Ministry to give more autonomy to universities and to remove some of the old formal bureaucracies.
“The ministry must give some space and allow universities to decide on their priorities.
“The old formal bureaucracies that the ministry decides on behalf of universities must end.
“If we stick to our current pace, we will be left behind,” he said.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said it was important for higher education to modernise and break away from conventional systems and practices.
“The changing demographic landscape will bring forth new ideas, perspectives and thinking capacities that must align with the future context.
“The essence of excellence rooted in knowledge and imagination must be cultivated,” he said.
The discourse, held at Universiti Malaya, is a platform for the highest discussion, debate and dialogue on critical themes of the future that will have a large impact on various sectors, particularly the higher education industry, security and defence, as well as energy and technology sustainability.
Also present were Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil and Anwar’s wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
