President of the Dewan Negara
The President of the Senate is the presiding officer of the Dewan Negara, the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia.
The President of the Senate is created under Article 56 of the Constitution of Malaysia. The office is similar to the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat: the president is elected by the members of the Senate and is expected to be politically impartial. If a member of the Dewan Negara is elected as the president and is a member of a state legislative assembly, he must resign from the assembly before exercising the functions of the office. As the president may hold different titles while in office, it also changes the style. The current president is Datuk SA. Vigneswaran. Therefore, while in session, the senators will call him as 'Datuk Yang di-Pertua' or 'Tuan Yang di-Pertua'.
Functions
The main functions of the President of the Dewan Negara are:- to preside over the sittings of the Dewan Negara
- to be responsible for the observance of the rules in the Dewan Negara
- to ensure the relevancy of the points raised during the debate
- to interpret the Standing Orders in case of disputes and the decision is final
List of Presidents of the Dewan Negara
Parliament | # | President | Term start | Term end |
1st 1959-1964 | 1 | Abdul Rahman Mohamed Yasin | 11 September 1959 | 18 October 1965 |
2nd 1964-1969 | Abdul Rahman Mohamed Yasin | 11 September 1959 | 18 October 1965 | |
2nd 1964-1969 | Abdul Rahman Mohamed Yasin | 18 October 1965 | 31 December 1968 | |
2nd 1964-1969 | 2 | Syed Sheh Barakbah | 27 January 1969 | 5 February 1969 |
2nd 1964-1969 | 3 | Mohamad Noah Omar | 24 February 1969 | 28 July 1970 |
3rd 1971-1974 | 4 | Abdul Hamid Khan | 20 February 1971 | 22 February 1973 |
3rd 1971-1974 | 5 | Omar Yoke Lin Ong | 23 February 1973 | 6 January 1975 |
4th 1974-1978 | Omar Yoke Lin Ong | 23 February 1973 | 6 January 1975 | |
4th 1974-1978 | Omar Yoke Lin Ong | 6 January 1975 | 31 December 1980 | |
5th 1978-1982 | Omar Yoke Lin Ong | 6 January 1975 | 31 December 1980 | |
5th 1978-1982 | 6 | Ismail Khan | 5 January 1981 | 15 December 1983 |
6th 1982-1986 | Ismail Khan | 5 January 1981 | 15 December 1983 | |
6th 1982-1986 | Ismail Khan | 15 December 1983 | 13 April 1985 | |
6th 1982-1986 | 7 | Benedict Stephens | 15 April 1985 | 11 April 1988 |
7th 1986-1990 | Benedict Stephens | 15 April 1985 | 11 April 1988 | |
7th 1986-1990 | 8 | Abang Ahmad Urai | 11 July 1988 | 9 July 1990 |
8th 1990-1995 | 9 | Chan Choong Tak | 17 December 1990 | 31 March 1992 |
8th 1990-1995 | 10 | Vadiveloo Govindasamy | 13 April 1992 | 16 October 1994 |
8th 1990-1995 | Vadiveloo Govindasamy | 16 October 1994 | 12 June 1995 | |
9th 1995-1999 | 11 | Adam Kadir | 13 June 1995 | 30 November 1996 |
9th 1995-1999 | 12 | Mohamed Yaacob | 10 December 1996 | 27 December 1999 |
10th 1999-2004 | Mohamed Yaacob | 27 December 1999 | 5 December 2000 | |
10th 1999-2004 | 13 | Michael Chen Wing Sum | 7 December 2000 | 11 April 2003 |
10th 1999-2004 | 14 | Abdul Hamid Pawanteh | 7 July 2003 | 19 July 2006 |
11th 2004-2008 | Abdul Hamid Pawanteh | 7 July 2003 | 19 July 2006 | |
11th 2004-2008 | Abdul Hamid Pawanteh | 19 July 2006 | 6 July 2009 | |
12th 2008-2013 | Abdul Hamid Pawanteh | 19 July 2006 | 6 July 2009 | |
12th 2008-2013 | 15 | Wong Foon Meng | 7 July 2009 | 12 April 2010 |
12th 2008-2013 | 16 | Abu Zahar Ujang | 26 April 2010 | 26 April 2013 |
12th 2008-2013 | Abu Zahar Ujang | 26 April 2013 | 25 April 2016 | |
13th 2013-2018 | Abu Zahar Ujang | 26 April 2013 | 25 April 2016 | |
13th 2013-2018 | 17 | Vigneswaran Sanasee | 26 April 2016 | 22 June 2020 |
14th 2018-present | Vigneswaran Sanasee | 26 April 2016 | 22 June 2020 |
Election results
Living former Presidents
- Abang Ahmad Urai
- Chan Choong Tak
- Vadiveloo Govindasamy
- Adam Kadir
- Michael Chen Wing Sum
- Abdul Hamid Pawanteh
- Wong Foon Meng
- Abu Zahar Ujang
- SA. Vigneswaran
List of Vice Presidents of the Dewan Negara
Election results
Living former Vice Presidents of the Dewan Negara
- Abang Ahmad Urai
- Tan Peng Khoon
- Chan Choong Tak
- Adam Kadir
- Michael Chen Wing Sum
- Gapar Gurrohu
- Wong Foon Meng
- Armani Mahiruddin
- Doris Sophia Brodi