List of Chief Ministers of Sarawak

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Chief Minister of Sarawak
Ketua Menteri Sarawak
Coat of arms of Sarawak.svg
Abang Johari Openg (II).jpg
Incumbent
Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg
since 13 January 2017
Government of Sarawak
Style Yang Amat Berhormat (Right Honourable)
Member ofSarawak State Executive Council
Reports to Sarawak State Legislative Assembly
Residence Astana, Demak Jaya, Sarawak
Seat Tingkat 22, Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Petra Jaya, 93502 Kuching, Sarawak
Appointer Abdul Taib Mahmud
as Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak
Term length While commanding the confidence of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly
With State Elections held no more than five years apart
Constituting instrument Constitution of the State of Sarawak
Inaugural holder Stephen Kalong Ningkan
Formation22 July 1963;56 years ago (1963-07-22)
Deputy Douglas Uggah Embas
James Jemut Masing
Awang Tengah Ali Hasan
Website www.cm.sarawak.gov.my

The Chief Minister of Sarawak is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. The Federal Constitution (Art. 2(a), 8th Schedule) [1] and State Constitution (Art. 10(2)(a)) [2] provides that the Yang ii-Pertuan Negeri may, in his discretion, appoint any member of the State Legislative Assembly who, in his judgement, commands the support of a majority of the members of that chamber as Chief Minister [3] . By convention, the Chief Minister is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly.

The head of government is either the highest or second highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, who often presides over a cabinet, a group of ministers or secretaries who lead executive departments. "Head of government" is often differentiated from "head of state", as they may be separate positions, individuals, or roles depending on the country.

Sarawak state of Malaysia on the island of Borneo

Sarawak is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, Kalimantan to the south, and Brunei in the north. The capital city, Kuching, is the largest city in Sarawak, the economic centre of the state, and the seat of the Sarawak state government. Other cities and towns in Sarawak include Miri, Sibu, and Bintulu. As of the 2015 census, the population of Sarawak was 2,636,000. Sarawak has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests and abundant animal and plant species. It has several prominent cave systems at Gunung Mulu National Park. Rajang River is the longest river in Malaysia; Bakun Dam, one of the largest dams in Southeast Asia, is located on one of its tributaries, the Balui River. Mount Murud is the highest point in Sarawak.

Sarawak State Legislative Assembly legislature

The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly is a component of the unicameral legislature of the Malaysian state of Sarawak; the Yang di-Pertuan Negeri of Sarawak forms the other part of the legislature. The Assembly is derived from the traditions of the Westminster parliamentary system, which originates from the practices of the British Parliament. The executive branch of government is drawn from the elected members of the Assembly. The State Legislative Assembly sits at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building located in Petra Jaya in Kuching, the state capital.

Contents

The 6th and current Chief Minister of Sarawak is Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg, who took office on 13 January 2017 [4] [5] .

Appointment

According to the Art. 3(6)(a) of the Sarawak State Constitution [2] , the Yang di-Pertua Negeri shall first appoint the Chief Minister to preside over the Cabinet and requires such Chief Minister to be a member of the Legislative Assembly who, in the former's judgment, is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Assembly. The Chief Minister must not a Malaysian citizen by naturalisation or by registration.

The Yang di-Pertua Negeri will appoint not more than ten nor less than four Ministers on the Chief Minister's advice [2] . The Yang di-Pertuan Negeri will also appoint Assistant Ministers under Art. 7A of the State Constitution [2] . Assistant Ministers are not members of the State Cabinet. The Ministers and Assistant Ministers must members of the State Legislative Assembly.

The Chief Minister and the Cabinet Ministers must take and subscribe in the presence of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri the oath of office and allegiance as well as the oath of secrecy before they can exercise the functions of office. In line with the Westminster system's principles of "collective responsibility" codified in the State Constitution, the Cabinet is collectively responsible to the State Legislative Assembly. The members of the Cabinet are prohibited from holding any office of profit and engage in any trade, business or profession that will cause conflict of interest. Unlike the Chief Minister, State Ministers and Assistant Ministers hold office at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Arts. 7(3) and 7A(3), Sarawak State Constitution.

Collective responsibility refers to responsibilities of organizations, groups and societies.

A conflict of interest (COI) is a situation in which a person or organization is involved in multiple interests, financial or otherwise, and serving one interest could involve working against another. Typically, this relates to situations in which the personal interest of an individual or organization might adversely affect a duty owed to make decisions for the benefit of a third party.

If a government cannot get its appropriation (budget) legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly, or the Legislative Assembly passes a vote of "no confidence" in the government, the Chief Minister is bound by convention to resign immediately. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri's choice of replacement chief minister will be dictated by the circumstances. Ministers other than the Chief Minister shall hold office during the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, unless the appointment of any Minister shall have been revoked by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri on the advice of the Chief Minister but may at any time resign his office.

In law and government, appropriation is the act of setting apart something for its application to a particular usage, to the exclusion of all other uses.

Following a resignation in other circumstances, defeated in an election or the death of a chief minister, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri will generally appoint as Chief Minister the person voted by the governing party as their new leader.

Powers

The Chief Minister is the Head of Government in the State of Sarawak. Both the Federal Constitution and State Constitution as well as other legislations accord various authorities upon the office of the Chief Minister.

Specific provisions of the State Constitution that expresses the authority of the Chief Minister include:-

The power of the chief minister is subject to a number of limitations. Chief ministers removed as leader of his or her party, or whose government loses a vote of no confidence in the Legislative Assembly, must advise a state election or resign the office or be dismissed by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri. The defeat of a supply bill (one that concerns the spending of money) or unable to pass important policy-related legislation is seen to require the resignation of the government or dissolution of Legislative Assembly, much like a non-confidence vote, since a government that cannot spend money is hamstrung, also called loss of supply.

The chief minister's party will normally have a majority in the Legislative Assembly and party discipline is exceptionally strong in Sarawakian politics, so passage of the government's legislation through the Legislative Assembly is mostly a formality.

Caretaker Chief Minister

The legislative assembly unless sooner dissolved by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri with His Excellency's own discretion on the advice of the chief minister shall continue for five years from the date of its first meeting. The state constitution permits a delay of 90 days of general election to be held from the date of dissolution and the legislative assembly shall be summoned to meet on a date not later than 120 days from the date of dissolution. Conventionally, between the dissolution of one legislative assembly and the convening of the next, the chief minister and the cabinet remain in office in a caretaker capacity.

List of Chief Ministers of Sarawak

The following is the list of Chief Ministers of Sarawak since 1963: [6] [7]

Colour key (for political parties):
   Barisan Nasional    Gabungan Parti Sarawak

#PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Constituency		Political party [lower-alpha 1] Term of officeElectoral
mandates
(Assembly)
1 Stephen Kalong Ningkan.jpg Stephen Kalong Ningkan
(1920–1997)		 Sarawak Alliance
(SNAP)		22 July 196316 June 1966
2 Tawi Sli.JPG Tawi Sli
(1912–1987)		 Sarawak Alliance
(PESAKA)		16 June 19667 September 1966
1 Stephen Kalong Ningkan.jpg Stephen Kalong Ningkan
(1920–1997)		 Sarawak Alliance
(SNAP)		7 September 196623 September 1966
2 Tawi Sli.JPG Tawi Sli
(1912–1987)		 Sarawak Alliance
(PESAKA)		23 September 19667 July 1970
3 Abdul Rahman Ya'kub
(1928–2015)
MLA for Kuala Rajang, 1969–1981		 Sarawak Alliance
(BUMIPUTERA)		7 July 197026 March 1981

1969 (8th)
1974 (9th)
1979 (10th)

BN (PBB)
4 Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud.jpg Abdul Taib Mahmud
(b. 1936)
MLA for Sebandi, 1981–1991
MLA for Asajaya, 1991–2001
MLA for Balingian, 2001–2014		26 March 198128 February 2014

– (10th)
1983 (11th)
1987 (12th)
1991 (13th)
1996 (14th)
2001 (15th)
2006 (16th)
2011 (17th)

5 Adenan Satem during the Sejiwa Sanada programme at Kota Samarahan.jpg Adenan Satem [8]
(1944–2017)
MLA for Muara Tuang, 1979–2006
MLA for Tanjong Datu, 2006–2017		28 February 201411 January 2017

– (17th)
2016 (18th)

6 Abang Johari Openg (II).jpg Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg
(b. 1949)
MLA for Satok, 1983–		13 January 2017Incumbent

– (18th)

GPS (PBB)
  1. ↑ This column names only the Chief Minister's party. The state government he heads may be a complex coalition of several parties and independents; those are not listed here.

Living former Chief Ministers

NameTerm of officeDate of birth
Abdul Taib Mahmud 1981–201421 May 1936 (age 83)

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Federal Constitution (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers. 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Constitution of the State of Sarawak.
  3. ↑ Federal Constitution (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers. 2010.
  4. ↑ "Abang Jo sworn in as Sarawak's 6th Chief Minister". The Star. 13 January 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  5. ↑ "Biography of the Chief Minister". Official Website Office of the Chief Minister. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  6. ↑ "Chief Minister Sarawak". Sarawak State Government. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
  7. ↑ "Sarawak". WorldStatesman.org. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
  8. ↑ Zora Chan (28 February 2014). "Adenan Satem sworn in as Sarawak Chief Minister". The Star Online. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
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