# President of the Dewan Negara

The president of the Senate (Malay: Yang di-Pertua Dewan Negara; Jawi: يڠ دڤرتوا ديوان نڬارا‎) is the presiding officer or speaker 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 position has been held by Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) since July 2024.

## 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

As of 6 January 2025, almost all presidents of the Dewan Negara won unopposed in the presidential election except for Rais Yatim.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Parliament |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Party | Parliament |
| 1 | | Dato' Haji Abdul Rahman Mohamed Yassin Senator from Johore (1890–1970) | 11 September 1959 | 31 December 1968 | 9 years, 112 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 1st |
| 1 | | Dato' Haji Abdul Rahman Mohamed Yassin Senator from Johore (1890–1970) | 11 September 1959 | 31 December 1968 | 9 years, 112 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 2nd |
| 2 | | Syed Sheh Barakbah Appointed Senator (1906–1975) | 27 January 1969 | 5 February 1969 | 10 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | – |
| 3 | | Tan Sri Dato' Haji Mohamed Noah Omar Appointed Senator (1897–1991) | 24 February 1969 | 28 July 1970 | 1 year, 155 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | – |
| 3 | | Tan Sri Dato' Haji Mohamed Noah Omar Appointed Senator (1897–1991) | 24 February 1969 | 28 July 1970 | 1 year, 155 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 3rd |
| 4 | | Tan Sri Haji Abdul Hamid Khan Appointed Senator | 20 February 1971 | 22 February 1973 | 2 years, 3 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | – |
| 5 | | Tun Tan Sri Haji Ong Yoke Lin Appointed Senator (1917–2010) | 23 February 1973 | 30 December 1980 | 7 years, 311 days | | Alliance (MCA) | – |
| 5 | | Tun Tan Sri Haji Ong Yoke Lin Appointed Senator (1917–2010) | 23 February 1973 | 30 December 1980 | 7 years, 311 days | | BN (MCA) | 4th |
| 5 | | Tun Tan Sri Haji Ong Yoke Lin Appointed Senator (1917–2010) | 23 February 1973 | 30 December 1980 | 7 years, 311 days | | BN (MCA) | 5th |
| 6 | | Tan Sri Ismail Khan Ibrahim Khan Appointed Senator (1905–2000) | 31 December 1980 | 13 April 1985 | 4 years, 103 days | | BN (UMNO) | 5th |
| 6 | | Tan Sri Ismail Khan Ibrahim Khan Appointed Senator (1905–2000) | 31 December 1980 | 13 April 1985 | 4 years, 103 days | | BN (UMNO) | 6th |
| 7 | | Tan Sri Datuk Benedict Stephens Appointed Senator (1926–2003) | 15 April 1985 | 11 April 1988 | 2 years, 362 days | | Independent | 6th |
| 7 | | Tan Sri Datuk Benedict Stephens Appointed Senator (1926–2003) | 15 April 1985 | 11 April 1988 | 2 years, 362 days | | Independent | 7th |
| 8 | | Tan Sri Datuk Abang Ahmad Urai Senator from Sarawak (1933–2022) | 11 July 1988 | 9 July 1990 | 1 year, 363 days | | BN (PBB) | 7th |
| 9 | | Tan Sri Dato' Chan Choong Tak Appointed Senator | 17 December 1990 | 31 March 1992 | 1 year, 105 days | | BN (MCA) | 8th |
| 10 | | Tan Sri Dato' Vadiveloo Govindasamy Appointed Senator (–2024) | 13 April 1992 | 12 June 1995 | 3 years, 60 days | | BN (MIC) | 8th |
| 10 | | Tan Sri Dato' Vadiveloo Govindasamy Appointed Senator (–2024) | 13 April 1992 | 12 June 1995 | 3 years, 60 days | | BN (MIC) | 9th |
| 11 | | Tan Sri Dato' Sri Adam Kadir Appointed Senator | 13 June 1995 | 30 November 1997 | 2 years, 170 days | | BN (UMNO) | 9th |
| 12 | | Tan Sri Dato' Haji Mohamed Yaacob Appointed Senator (1926–2009) | 10 December 1997 | 5 December 2000 | 2 years, 361 days | | BN (UMNO) | 9th |
| 12 | | Tan Sri Dato' Haji Mohamed Yaacob Appointed Senator (1926–2009) | 10 December 1997 | 5 December 2000 | 2 years, 361 days | | BN (UMNO) | 10th |
| 13 | | Tun Tan Sri Michael Chen Wing Sum Appointed Senator (1932–2024) | 7 December 2000 | 11 April 2003 | 2 years, 125 days | | BN (MCA) | 10th |
| 14 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Abdul Hamid Pawanteh Appointed Senator (1944–2022) | 7 July 2003 | 6 July 2009 | 5 years, 364 days | | BN (UMNO) | – |
| 14 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Abdul Hamid Pawanteh Appointed Senator (1944–2022) | 7 July 2003 | 6 July 2009 | 5 years, 364 days | | BN (UMNO) | 11th |
| 14 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Abdul Hamid Pawanteh Appointed Senator (1944–2022) | 7 July 2003 | 6 July 2009 | 5 years, 364 days | | BN (UMNO) | 12th |
| 15 | | Tan Sri Ir. Wong Foon Meng Appointed Senator | 7 July 2009 | 12 April 2010 | 279 days | | BN (MCA) | 12th |
| 16 | | Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang Appointed Senator (born 1944) | 26 April 2010 | 25 April 2016 | 5 years, 365 days | | BN (UMNO) | – |
| 16 | | Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang Appointed Senator (born 1944) | 26 April 2010 | 25 April 2016 | 5 years, 365 days | | BN (UMNO) | 13th |
| 17 | | Tan Sri Dato' Sri Vigneswaran Sanasee Appointed Senator (born 1965) | 26 April 2016 | 22 June 2020 | 4 years, 57 days | | BN (MIC) |
| 17 | | Tan Sri Dato' Sri Vigneswaran Sanasee Appointed Senator (born 1965) | 26 April 2016 | 22 June 2020 | 4 years, 57 days | | BN (MIC) | – |
| 17 | | Tan Sri Dato' Sri Vigneswaran Sanasee Appointed Senator (born 1965) | 26 April 2016 | 22 June 2020 | 4 years, 57 days | | BN (MIC) | 14th |
| 18 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim Appointed Senator (born 1942) | 2 September 2020 | 15 June 2023 | 2 years, 276 days | | PN (BERSATU) | 14th |
| 18 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim Appointed Senator (born 1942) | 2 September 2020 | 15 June 2023 | 2 years, 276 days | | PN (BERSATU) | – |
| 18 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim Appointed Senator (born 1942) | 2 September 2020 | 15 June 2023 | 2 years, 276 days | | PN (BERSATU) | 15th |
| 19 | | Tan Sri Dato Sri Dr. Haji Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar Appointed Senator (born 1946) | 19 June 2023 | 18 January 2024 | 213 days | | GPS (PBB) | 15th |
| 20 | | Datuk Mutang Tagal Appointed Senator (1954–2024) | 19 February 2024 | 10 May 2024 | 81 days | | GPS (PBB) | 15th |
| 21 | | Dato Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah Appointed Senator (born 1959) | 22 July 2024 | Incumbent | 168 days | | GPS (PBB) | 15th |

### Election results

| Election date | Candidate(s) | Votes | Nominated by | Seconded by | Secretary |
| 11 September 1959 | Abdul Rahman Mohamed Yasin | Unopposed | Leong Yew Koh | Tan Tong Hye | Ramli Abdul Hamid |
| 15 October 1962 | Sheikh Abu Bakar Yahya, pro tempore | Unopposed | Leong Yew Koh | Tan Tong Hye | Ahmad Abdullah |
| 18 October 1965 | Abdul Rahman Mohamed Yasin | Unopposed | Tan Tong Hye | Amaluddin Darus | Ahmad Abdullah |
| 27 January 1969 | Syed Sheh Syed Hassan Barakbah | Unopposed | Abdul Ghafar Baba | J. E. S. Crawford | Ahmad Abdullah |
| 24 February 1969 | Mohamad Noah Omar | Unopposed | Abdul Ghafar Baba | Pandak Hamid Puteh Jali | Ahmad Abdullah |
| 20 February 1971 | Abdul Hamid Khan Sakhawat Ali Khan | Unopposed | Abdul Kadir Yusuf | Tan Tong Hye | Lim Joo Keng |
| 23 February 1973 | Omar Yoke Lin Ong | Unopposed | Abdul Kadir Yusuf | Kamarul Ariffin Mohd Yassin | Lim Joo Keng |
| 6 January 1975 | Omar Yoke Lin Ong | Unopposed | Athi Nahappan | Pandak Hamid Puteh Jali | Lim Joo Keng |
| 31 December 1980 | Ismail Khan | Unopposed | Mohamed Nasir | Michael Wong Kuan Lee | Ahmad Hasmuni Hussein |
| 15 December 1983 | Ismail Khan | Unopposed | James Peter Ongkili | Ariffin Salleh | Ahmad Hasmuni Hussein |
| 15 April 1985 | Benedict Stephens | Unopposed | Mohamed Yusof Mohamed Noor | Tan Chang Soong | Ahmad Hasmuni Hussein |
| 11 July 1988 | Abang Ahmad Urai Abang Mohideen | Unopposed | Kasitah Gaddam | Hussein Ahmad | Abdul Rahim Abu Bakar |
| 17 December 1990 | Chan Choong Tak | Unopposed | Abdul Ghafar Baba | Annuar Musa | Mohamed Salleh Abu Bakar |
| 13 April 1992 | Vadiveloo Govindasamy | Unopposed | Mahathir Mohamad | Ling Liong Sik | Mohamed Salleh Abu Bakar |
| 14 December 1994 | Vadiveloo Govindasamy | Unopposed | Anwar Ibrahim | Ling Liong Sik | Mohamed Salleh Abu Bakar |
| 13 June 1995 | Adam Kadir | Unopposed | Anwar Ibrahim | Samy Vellu | Mohamed Salleh Abu Bakar |
| 10 December 1997 | Mohamed Yaacob | Unopposed | Anwar Ibrahim | Chong Kah Kiat | Abdullah Abdul Wahab |
| 27 December 1999 | Mohamed Yaacob | Unopposed | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi | Abdul Hamid Othman | Abdullah Abdul Wahab |
| 7 December 2000 | Michael Chen Wing Sum | Unopposed | Ling Liong Sik | Samy Vellu | Abdullah Abdul Wahab |
| 7 July 2003 | Abdul Hamid Pawanteh | Unopposed | Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor | M. Kayveas | Abdullah Abdul Wahab |
| 19 July 2006 | Abdul Hamid Pawanteh | Unopposed | M. Kayveas | Abdul Raman Suliman | Zamani Sulaiman |
| 7 July 2009 | Wong Foon Meng | Unopposed | Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz | Ong Tee Keat | Zamani Sulaiman |
| 26 April 2010 | Abu Zahar Ujang | Unopposed | Koh Tsu Koon | Shahrizat Abdul Jalil | Zamani Sulaiman |
| 26 April 2016 | Vigneswaran Sanasee | Unopposed | Azalina Othman Said | J Loga Bala Mohan | Riduan Rahmat |
| 2 September 2020 | Rais Yatim | 45 | Takiyuddin Hassan | Shabudin Yahaya | Muhammad Sujairi Abdullah |
| 2 September 2020 | Yusmadi Yusoff | 19 | Ahmad Azam Hamzah | Mohamad Imran Abdul Hamid | Muhammad Sujairi Abdullah |
| 19 June 2023 | Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar | Unopposed | Anwar Ibrahim | Tengku Zafrul Aziz | Muhammad Sujairi Abdullah |
| 19 February 2024 | Mutang Tagal | Unopposed | Anwar Ibrahim | Azalina Othman Said | Muhammad Sujairi Abdullah |
| 22 July 2024 | Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah | Unopposed | Anwar Ibrahim | Azalina Othman Said | Muhammad Sujairi Abdullah |

## List of deputy presidents of the Dewan Negara

As of 6 January 2025, almost all deputy presidents of the Dewan Negara won unopposed in the presidential election except for Nur Jazlan Mohamed.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Parliament |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Party | Parliament |
| 1 | | S. O. K. Ubaidulla Appointed Senator | 22 March 1971 | 31 December 1980 | | Alliance (MIC) | 3rd |
| 1 | | S. O. K. Ubaidulla Appointed Senator | 22 March 1971 | 31 December 1980 | | BN (MIC) | 4th |
| 1 | | S. O. K. Ubaidulla Appointed Senator | 22 March 1971 | 31 December 1980 | | BN (MIC) | 5th |
| 2 | | Abdul Hamid Bidin Appointed Senator (1917–1995) | 13 April 1981 | 28 July 1982 | | BN (UMNO) | 5th |
| 3 | | Sulaiman Ninam Shah Appointed Senator (1920–2003) | 14 December 1982 | 1 April 1985 | | BN (UMNO) | 6th |
| 4 | | Abang Ahmad Urai Senator from Sarawak | 29 July 1985 | 10 July 1988 | | BN (PBB) | 6th |
| 4 | | Abang Ahmad Urai Senator from Sarawak | 29 July 1985 | 10 July 1988 | | BN (PBB) | 7th |
| 5 | | Tan Peng Khoon Appointed Senator | 13 July 1988 | 27 December 1989 | | BN (MCA) | 7th |
| 6 | | Chan Choong Tak Appointed Senator | 28 December 1989 | 16 December 1990 | | BN (MCA) | 7th |
| 7 | | Adam Kadir Appointed Senator | 1 April 1992 | 1 December 1994 | | BN (UMNO) | 8th |
| 7 | | Adam Kadir Appointed Senator | 14 December 1994 | 12 June 1995 | | BN (UMNO) | 8th |
| 8 | | Michael Chen Wing Sum Appointed Senator (1932-2024) | 29 May 1997 | 5 December 2000 | | BN (Gerakan) | 9th |
| 8 | | Michael Chen Wing Sum Appointed Senator (1932-2024) | 29 May 1997 | 5 December 2000 | | BN (Gerakan) | 10th |
| 9 | | Gapar Gurrohu Appointed Senator | 8 May 2001 | 22 October 2003 | | BN (UMNO) | 10th |
| 10 | | Wong Foon Meng Appointed Senator | 7 June 2004 | 6 July 2009 | | BN (MCA) | 11th |
| 10 | | Wong Foon Meng Appointed Senator | 7 June 2004 | 6 July 2009 | | BN (MCA) | 12th |
| 11 | | Armani Mahiruddin Senator from Sabah (born 1957) | 9 July 2009 | 20 December 2011 | | BN (UMNO) | 12th |
| 12 | | Doris Sophia Brodi Appointed Senator (born 1960) | 26 January 2012 | 11 March 2016 | | BN (PRS) | 12th |
| 12 | | Doris Sophia Brodi Appointed Senator (born 1960) | 26 January 2012 | 11 March 2016 | | BN (PRS) | 13th |
| 13 | | Abdul Halim Abdul Samad Appointed Senator (born 1940) | 18 April 2016 | 2 November 2020 | | BN (UMNO) | 13th |
| 13 | | Abdul Halim Abdul Samad Appointed Senator (born 1940) | 18 April 2016 | 2 November 2020 | | BN (UMNO) | 14th |
| 14 | | Mohamad Ali Mohamad Senator from Melaka | 16 December 2020 | 19 May 2023 | | BN (UMNO) | 14th |
| 14 | | Mohamad Ali Mohamad Senator from Melaka | 16 December 2020 | 19 May 2023 | | BN (UMNO) | 15th |
| 15 | | Nur Jazlan Mohamed Appointed Senator (born 1966) | 19 June 2023 | Incumbent | | BN (UMNO) | 15th |

### Election results

| Election date | Candidates | Votes | Nominated by | Seconded by |
| 27 December 1962 | Sheikh Abu Bakar Yahya | Unopposed | Leong Yew Koh | S. O. K. Ubaidulla |
| 22 March 1971 | S. O. K. Ubaidulla | Unopposed | Abdul Kadir Yusuf | Tan Tong Hye |
| 6 January 1975 | S. O. K. Ubaidulla | Unopposed | Abdul Rahim Manan | Lim Ah Sitt |
| 13 April 1981 | Abdul Hamid Bidin | Unopposed | Mohamed Nasir | Law Hieng Ding |
| 14 December 1982 | Sulaiman Ninam Shah | Unopposed | Mohamed Nasir | Kam Woon Wah |
| 29 July 1985 | Abang Ahmad Urai | Unopposed | Mohamed Yusof Mohamed Noor | Paramjit Singh |
| 16 July 1987 | Abang Ahmad Urai | Unopposed | Hussein Ahmad | Bee Yang Sek |
| 13 July 1988 | Tan Peng Khoon | Unopposed | Kasitah Gaddam | Hussein Ahmad |
| 28 December 1989 | Chan Choong Tak | Unopposed | Suleiman Mohamed | K. S. Nijhar |
| 13 April 1992 | Adam Kadir | Unopposed | Mahathir Mohamad | Ling Liong Sik |
| 14 December 1994 | Adam Kadir | Unopposed | Anwar Ibrahim | Ling Liong Sik |
| 29 May 1997 | Michael Chen Wing Sum | Unopposed | Osu Sukam | Ting Chew Peh |
| 4 May 2000 | Michael Chen Wing Sum | Unopposed | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi | Musa Mohamad |
| 8 May 2001 | Gapar Gurrohu | Unopposed | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi | Pandikar Amin Mulia |
| 7 June 2004 | Wong Foon Meng | Unopposed | Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz | Chan Chee Tee |
| 7 May 2007 | Wong Foon Meng | Unopposed | Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz | Abdul Raman Sulaiman |
| 9 July 2009 | Armani Mahiruddin | Unopposed | Koh Tsu Koon | Jamil Khir Baharom |
| 26 January 2012 | Doris Sophia Brodi | Unopposed | Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz | Koh Tsu Koon |
| 12 March 2013 | Doris Sophia Brodi | Unopposed | Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz | Koh Tsu Koon |
| 18 April 2016 | Abdul Halim Abdul Samad | Unopposed | Azalina Othman Said | Mustapa Mohamed |
| 16 December 2020 | Mohamad Ali Mohamad | Unopposed | Takiyuddin Hassan | Shabudin Yahaya |
| 19 June 2023 | Nur Jazlan Mohamed | 43 | Anwar Ibrahim | Tengku Zafrul Aziz |
| 19 June 2023 | Razali Idris | 11 | Dominic Lau Hoe Chai | Md. Nasir Hashim |