NEWLY appointed Sarawak head of state Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar took the public by surprise when he went for a meal with his wife to an ordinary kopi tiam (coffee shop) in Kuching this morning.
Revealing his down-to-earth personality, he then went around mingling and taking selfies with the delighted people who gathered around him, without his bodyguards.
The governor and his wife Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi even drove around in their own car, with the bodyguards and official entourage in their official vehicles following behind.
Netizens have since made viral the photos of his open interaction on social media, eliciting much praise and appreciation.
Junaidi also uploaded videos and images of his morning street escapade today.
He was appointed the state’s new governor last week by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to replace Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud.
Taib, aged 88, had been in the public spotlight in Sarawak for about half a century, mostly as the state’s chief minister.
Taib’s whereabouts and the state of his health have been the subject of much speculation as of late.
Wan Junaidi was Senate speaker before his appointment last week. Prior to that, he had served as federal minister in three different portfolios.
He is scheduled to have his investiture ceremony as Yang di-Pertua Negri at the Sarawak state palace later today. – The Vibes, January 29, 2024