Al Hambra and Yong taking their oath in front of Juhar while Hajiji looks on at Istana Seri Kinabalu.
KOTA KINABALU (June 19): Yayasan Nur Jauhar chairman Datuk Haji Al Hambra Tun Juhar and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Deputy President/Secretary General Datuk Richard Yong We Kong have been appointed as deputy speakers of the State Legislative Assembly.
Al Hambra and Yong took their oath in front of Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin after
receiving their appointment instruments in a brief ceremony attended by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor at Istana Seri Kinabalu here on Monday.
They signed their appointment documents before Kota Kinabalu High Court judge Datuk Ismail Brahim.
Replacing Datuk Ahmad Abdul Rahman and Datuk George Ginibun, Al Hambra and Yong’s appointment will be for five years.
Present were Head of State’s wife Toh Puan Norlidah Tan Sri R.M Jasni, Speaker Datuk Kadzim M Yahya, Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk James Ratib, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ellron Angin, State Secretary Datuk Seri Panglima Sr Safar Untong and other dignitaries.
Meanwhile, SAPP thanked the Head of State for the appointment of Yong as a Deputy Speaker.
The party also expressed its gratitude to the Chief Minister, for agreeing to the appointment.
SAPP is confident that Yong will perform very well in his new duties as he has ample exposure in observing State Assembly and parliamentary proceedings for several years.
Yong is also no stranger to the Sabah government as he has served in various capacities in the Sabah Government starting as a ministry press secretary in 1990.
He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Sabah Sports Board and the Sabah Ports Authority.
A founding member of SAPP, Yong has dedicated himself as secretary general of the party ever since 2003. He was also elected as one of the three party deputy presidents in 2018.
Ever since the formation of the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), Yong has served as a member of the GRS Supreme Council. He is also chairman of the Sandakan GRS division.
Aged 66 and a resident in Kota Kinabalu, Yong is also an advisor of several non-governmental organisations and has served in social and community works.