The Premier of Sarawak is the head of
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
in the
Malaysian state
The states and federal territories of Malaysia are the principal administrative divisions of Malaysia. Malaysia is a federation of 13 states (''Negeri'') and 3 federal territories (''Wilayah Persekutuan'').
States and federal territories
Elev ...
of
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, 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 M ...
. The premier is appointed by the
Yang di-Pertua Negeri
In Malaysia, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri ( in Malay) is a constitutional title given to the head of state in states without a Ruler, namely: Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak. This is in constrast to a Ruler () which is a constitutional title give ...
, also known as the state's governor. The premier is also the leader of the political party or coalition able to secure a majority in the
Sarawak State Legislative Assembly
The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly is the legislative chamber of the unicameral legislature of the Malaysian state of Sarawak; the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak forms the other part of the legislature. The Assembly is modelled after the ...
.
This office was known as Chief Minister of Sarawak before an amendment to the state constitution regarding the matter was successfully passed on 15 February 2022, renaming the post to "premier". The constitutional amendment was gazetted and came into effect on 1 March 2022.
The incumbent premier of Sarawak is
Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg
Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Abang Haji Openg ( Jawi: ابڠ عبد الرحمن جوهري بن ابڠ اوڤيڠ; born 4 August 1950), familiarly known as Abang Jo or Abang Johari, is a Malaysian politician who has served as Premier of ...
, who took office on 13 January 2017 (as the chief minister).
History
The post of Premier of Sarawak was created as Chief Minister of Sarawak on 22 July 1963 when
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, 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 M ...
was given
self-government
__NOTOC__
Self-governance, self-government, or self-rule is the ability of a person or group to exercise all necessary functions of regulation without intervention from an external authority. It may refer to personal conduct or to any form of ...
, with
Stephen Kalong Ningkan
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan (20 August 1920 – 31 March 1997) was a Malaysian politician who served as the first Chief Minister of Sarawak from 1963 to 1966.
Early life and education
Stephen Kalong Ningkan was born on 20 Augu ...
being the first inaugural to lead the office.
A proposal to change the title of Chief Minister to Premier was made in February 2022, as an aspect of Sarawak's efforts to reclaim its rights under the 1963
Malaysia Agreement
The Malaysia Agreement or the Agreement relating to Malaysia between United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore (MA63) was the agreement which combined North Borneo, Sarawak, ...
(MA63).
In addition, the office was proposed to be renamed so that Sarawak would not be compared to other states like
Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
and
Malacca
Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
, which also have a chief minister to lead their state government.
Along with
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
,
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
, the
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya ( ms, Persekutuan Tanah Melayu; Jawi script, Jawi: ) was a federation of what previously had been British Malaya comprising eleven states (nine Malay states and two of the British Empire, British Straits Settlements, P ...
, and
Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...
, Sarawak was one of the signatories of MA63 during the
formation of Malaysia
The Malaysia Agreement or the Agreement relating to Malaysia between United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore (MA63) was the agreement which combined North Borneo, Sarawak, a ...
.
On 15 February, the position of Chief Minister was changed to Premier following a successful amendment to the Sarawak state constitution. The constitutional amendment was gazetted and came into effect on 1 March.
Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg
Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Abang Haji Openg ( Jawi: ابڠ عبد الرحمن جوهري بن ابڠ اوڤيڠ; born 4 August 1950), familiarly known as Abang Jo or Abang Johari, is a Malaysian politician who has served as Premier of ...
, who had previously served as the sixth Chief Minister before the post was rebranded, became the first Premier of Sarawak.
Appointment
According to the Article 3(6)(a) of the Constitution of the State of Sarawak,
the governor shall first appoint the premier to preside over the
Cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filing ...
and requires such premier to be a
member of the Legislative Assembly
A member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to a legislative assembly. Most often, the term refers to a subnational assembly such as that of a state, province, or territory of a country. S ...
who, in the former's judgment, is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the
state assembly. The premier must not be a
Malaysian
Malaysian may refer to:
* Something from or related to Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia
* Malaysian Malay, a dialect of Malay language spoken mainly in Malaysia
* Malaysian people, people who are identified with the country of Malaysia regard ...
by naturalisation or registration.
The governor will appoint not more than ten nor less than four Ministers on the premier's advice.
The governor will also appoint deputy ministers under Article 7A of the state constitution.
The Premier 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
Collective responsibility, also known as collective guilt, refers to responsibilities of organizations, groups and societies. Collective responsibility in the form of collective punishment is often used as a disciplinary measure in closed insti ...
" 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
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 i ...
. Unlike the Premier, State Ministers and Assistant Ministers hold office at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Articles 7(3) and 7A(3), Sarawak State Constitution.
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 Premier 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 Premier 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 Premier but may at any time resign his office.
Following a resignation in other circumstances, defeated in an election or the death of a premier, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri will generally appoint as Premier the person voted by the governing party as their new leader.
Powers
The Premier 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 Premier.
Specific provisions of the State Constitution that expresses the authority of the Premier include:-
* Art. 1(1): Consulting with the Yang DiPertuan Agong on the appointment of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri;
* Art. 1(3): Consulting with the Yang DiPertuan Agong on the appointment of the Acting Yang di-Pertua Negeri;
* Art. 1(5): Advising the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, with the consent of the Yang DiPertuan Agong, appointing a person taking the Yang di-Pertua Negeri's place or representing the Yang di-Pertua Negeri at the Conference of Rulers;
* Art. 6(3)(b): Advising the Yang di-Pertua Negeri on the appointment of State Ministers and Assistant Ministers;
* Art. 7(1): Request for the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly;
* Art. 7(2): Advising the Yang di-Pertua Negeri on the revocation of the appointment of a State Minister;
* Art. 11: Advising the Yang di-Pertua Negeri on the appointment of the State Secretary, State Attorney General, and State Financial Secretary;
* Art. 15(1)(a) & (b): Advising the Yang di-Pertua Negeri on the appointment of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly; and
* Art. 35(1): Advising the Yang di-Pertua Negeri on the appointment of the chairman, Deputy chairman, and members of the State Public Service Commission.
The power of the premier is subject to a number of limitations. Premiers removed as leader of his or her party, or whose government loses a
vote of no confidence
A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...
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
In the Westminster system (and, colloquially, in the United States), a money bill or supply bill is a bill that solely concerns taxation or government spending (also known as appropriation of money), as opposed to changes in public law.
Conv ...
(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
Loss of supply occurs where a government in a parliamentary democracy using the Westminster System or a system derived from it is denied a supply of treasury or exchequer funds, by whichever house or houses of parliament or head of state is con ...
.
The premier'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 Premier
The legislative assembly unless sooner dissolved by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri with His Excellency's own discretion on the advice of the premier 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 premier and the cabinet remain in office in a
caretaker
Caretaker may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''The Caretaker'' (film), a 1963 adaptation of the play ''The Caretaker''
* '' The Caretakers'', a 1963 American film set in a mental hospital
* Caretaker, a character in the 1974 film '' ...
capacity.
List
Chief Ministers of Sarawak (1963–2022)
* Period: 22 July 1963 – 1 March 2022
Colour key (for political coalitions):
(3)
(4)
(1)
Premiers of Sarawak (2022–present)
* Period: 1 March 2022 – present
Colour key (for political coalitions):
(1)
Life after office
A few former chief ministers had important careers after leaving office. Usually, they are appointed to become governors (
Yang di-Pertua Negeri
In Malaysia, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri ( in Malay) is a constitutional title given to the head of state in states without a Ruler, namely: Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak. This is in constrast to a Ruler () which is a constitutional title give ...
). There are two former chief ministers who were appointed governors shortly after they left office:
Abdul Rahman Ya'kub
Tun Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman bin Ya'kub ( ms, عبدالرحمن بن يعقوب, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 3 January 1928 – 9 January 2015) was a Malaysian politician of Melanau descent from Mukah. He was the third C ...
and
Abdul Taib Mahmud
Abdul Taib bin Mahmud ( Jawi: عبدالطيب بن محمود; born 21 May 1936) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 7th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak since March 2014. He served as the 4th Chief Minister of Sarawak for 33 years ...
.
, there is only one former chief minister still alive:
Abdul Taib Mahmud
Abdul Taib bin Mahmud ( Jawi: عبدالطيب بن محمود; born 21 May 1936) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 7th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak since March 2014. He served as the 4th Chief Minister of Sarawak for 33 years ...
. He is currently serving as the seventh governor of Sarawak.
The most recent death of a chief minister was
Adenan Satem
Pehin Sri Tan Sri Haji Adenan bin Haji Satem ( ms, حاج عدنان بن حاج صتيم , label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 27 January 1944 – 11 January 2017), popularly known as Tok Nan, was a Malaysian politician who served as the ...
(served from 2014 to 2017), on 11 January 2017, aged 72. He was also the first chief minister to die in office.
See also
Constitution of the State of Sarawak
References
{{Menteri Besars and Chief Ministers
*