Malaysian politician and lawyer
Awang Bemee bin Awang Ali Basah (born 22 June 1959) is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who has served as the 21st President of the Dewan Negara and Senator since July 2024. He served as Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Nangka from September 1996 to April 2011. He is a member, Member of the Supreme Council, Legal Advisor and was Youth Secretary-General of the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), a component party of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and formerly Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. He is also the Public Officer of GPS. He has been the Chairman of Kuching Port Authority since 1997 and has practised as an advocate and solicitor and legal practitioner since being admitted to the High Court of Borneo, Sarawak in 1984. He is an independent non-executive director of the Sarawak Plantation Berhad (SPB) and a partner in the legal firm Messrs. Awang Lai Sandhu and Co.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Political career
Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (1996–2011)
1996 Sarawak state election
In the 1996 Sarawak state election, Awang Bemee made his electoral debut after being nominated by BN to contest for the Nangka state seat. He won the seat and was elected to the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly as the Nangka MLA for the first term in a walkover.
2001 Sarawak state election
In the 2001 Sarawak state election, Awang Bemee was renominated by BN to defend the Nangka state seat. He defended the seat and was reelected to the Sarawak Assembly as the Nangka MLA for the second term after defeating independent candidate Abang Abdul Haili Abang Naili and Abd Rahman Putit of the National Justice Party (keADILan) by a majority of 7,005 votes.
2006 Sarawak state election
In the 2006 Sarawak state election, Awang Bemee was renominated by BN to defend the Nangka state seat. He defended the seat and was reelected to the Sarawak Assembly as the Nangka MLA for the third term after defeating Abang Ariffin Abang Sebli of the People's Justice Party (PKR) by a decreased majority of 4,815 votes.
President of the Dewan Negara and Senator (since 2024)
On 15 July 2024, Awang Bemee was appointed to the Parliament as a Senator.[7] A week later on 22 July 2024, he was appointed 21st President of the Dewan Negara, replacing Mutang Tagal who died in office more than two months prior on 10 May 2024.[8]
Election results
Sarawak State Legislative Assembly
Year
|
Constituency
|
Candidate
|
Votes
|
Pct
|
Opponent(s)
|
Votes
|
Pct
|
Ballots cast
|
Majority
|
Turnout
|
1996
|
N55 Nangka
|
|
Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah (PBB)
|
Walkover
|
2001
|
|
Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah (PBB)
|
7,559
|
87.37%
|
|
Abang Abdul Halil Abang Naili (IND)
|
554
|
6.40%
|
8,652
|
7,005
|
69.18%
|
|
Abd Rahman Putit (keADILan)
|
539
|
6.23%
|
2006
|
|
Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah (PBB)
|
6,202
|
81.72%
|
|
Abang Ariffin Abang Sebli (PKR)
|
1,387
|
18.28%
|
7,589
|
4,815
|
60.42%
|
Honours
References