Sabah and Sarawak senators sworn in
Sepanggar Umno chief Datuk Yakubah Khan is among five individuals sworn in as senators before Senate president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran at Dewan Negara here.
The others are Sarawak’s Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Wanita honorary secretary Susan Chemerai Anding; Parti Rakyat Sarawak deputy secretary-general Rita Sarimah Patrick Insol; Sarawak United Peoples’ Party Bawang Assan branch chairman Robert Lau Hui Yew and Labuan Umno chief Datuk Bashir Alias, who was appointed for a second term.
Yakubah, Susan, Rita Sarimah and Lau were appointed as senators for the first time upon the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
Speaking to reporters later, Yakubah said he would make optimal use of his term as a senator to voice out issues of the people in Sabah, such as rural development, the influx of illegal immigrants and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Rita Sarimah pledged to focus on women’s issues, education in rural areas, infrastructure development and information technology.
Susan, on the other hand, said she would voice out the matters concerning the aspiration of the people in Sarawak, including the MA63.
Vigneswaran in his speech said the appointment would give the new members of the Senate, as one of the components of the highest legislative body of the country, the opportunity to serve the country and the people.
At the swearing-in ceremony, which was his last as the Senate president, Vigneswaran also expressed hope that all senators would improve the quality of their debates and abide by their oath of loyalty to the King and the country.
“Equally important is for them to comply with the Senate’s code of ethics that will help boost the image of the Malaysian Parliament as a credible and respectable legislative institution,” he said. — Bernama