Awang Tengah Ali Hasan

Summary

Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan (born 2 December 1963) is the Deputy Premier of Sarawak and one of Malaysia's longest-serving state legislators, having represented the Bukit Sari constituency (formerly Lawas) without interruption since 1987. He concurrently serves as Sarawak's Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development and Minister for International Trade and Investment under Premier Abang Johari. A senior figure within Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), he has been a consistent presence across the administrations of Taib Mahmud, Adenan Satem, and Abang Johari Openg.

Biography

Datuk Amar Awang Tengah bin Ali Hasan (born 2 December 1963) is a Malaysian politician from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the dominant component of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition [1]. He has served as Deputy Premier of Sarawak since May 2017 and as a member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) continuously since April 1987 [1]. He currently holds the concurrent portfolios of Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development, and Minister for International Trade and Investment under Premier Abang Abdul Rahman Johari Abang Openg [2]. He previously held cabinet positions under former premiers Abdul Taib Mahmud and Adenan Satem [1]. He first entered the assembly representing the Lawas seat in 1987 at the height of the Ming Court political affair — a move reportedly facilitated by Abang Johari Openg, who suggested he be fielded as a candidate [3]. Following electoral boundary redelineation, the Lawas seat was renamed Bukit Sari in 2006, and he has represented that seat since [4]. He is also the deputy president of PBB [5]. In 2014, then-Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud identified Awang Tengah as one of three potential successors before ultimately appointing Adenan Satem [1]. He subsequently nominated Abang Johari for the Chief Minister post in January 2017 following Adenan's death [6]. He was appointed Deputy Premier in May 2017 [1]. He is married to Datuk Dayang Morliah Awang Daud [7].

Known for

Awang Tengah is known as one of Sarawak's most senior elected politicians, having held his state seat without interruption since 1987 across nine consecutive terms [4]. He is the minister overseeing Sarawak's natural resources, forests, and international trade portfolios, making him a central figure in the state's resource governance and foreign investment drive [8]. He is also recognised as a close and loyal ally of Premier Abang Johari, with political analysts describing their working relationship as complementary and built on decades of party discipline [3].

Political positions

On forest and environmental policy, Awang Tengah has consistently emphasised sustainable forest management and the monetisation of Sarawak's forests through carbon sequestration and carbon credits, projecting state revenues of approximately RM315 million annually from forest carbon activities [6]. He tabled the Forests (Amendment) Bill 2022 to enable licences for carbon activities in permanent forests and reduce reliance on extractive timber production [6]. He has repeatedly stated that the Sarawak government will not compromise on tackling illegal logging, while calling on the public to assist as informants [9]. On investment and trade, he has actively promoted Sarawak as a top-four Malaysian destination for manufacturing FDI, highlighting the Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone and sector-specific investment targets [10]. Awang Tengah has also promoted Sarawak's ambitions to expand trade connectivity, including proposed direct flights between Kuching and other Malaysian cities [3]. On party politics, he has publicly and consistently affirmed his support for Premier Abang Johari's leadership and dismissed reports of any internal PBB power struggle as lacking credibility [6].

Political career

1. April 1987First elected to the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly, representing the Lawas constituency under PBB/BN, during the 1987 state election held in the context of the Ming Court political affair. Political analyst Jeniri Amir credited Abang Johari Openg with suggesting Awang Tengah be fielded as a candidate.⛓
2. 1991Re-elected to the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly, retaining the Lawas constituency seat under Sarawak BN.⛓
3. 1996Won the Lawas constituency seat uncontested in the 1996 Sarawak state election.⛓
4. 2001Re-elected to the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly for the Lawas constituency in the 2001 state election.⛓
5. 2006Following electoral redelineation, the Lawas constituency was renamed Bukit Sari. Awang Tengah continued to represent the renamed seat, beginning his representation of Bukit Sari.⛓
6. 2011Won the Bukit Sari state seat with a majority of 5,063 votes, defeating PKR candidate Japar Suyut.⛓
7. 2016Won the Bukit Sari state seat uncontested in the 11th Sarawak state election.⛓
8. February 2014Named by outgoing Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud as one of three potential successors to the chief ministership. Adenan Satem was ultimately chosen.⛓
9. January 2017Following the death of Chief Minister Adenan Satem, Awang Tengah publicly nominated Abang Johari Openg as Adenan's successor at the PBB supreme council meeting, declining to pursue the post himself.⛓
10. May 2017Appointed Deputy Premier (Deputy Chief Minister) of Sarawak by Premier Abang Johari Openg, filling a position that had been vacant since Abang Johari's own appointment as chief minister.⛓
11. December 2021Re-elected for his ninth consecutive term as MLA for Bukit Sari in the 12th Sarawak state election, winning with a majority of 5,636 votes in a three-cornered contest against PSB and PBK candidates.⛓
12. May 2022Tabled the Forests (Amendment) Bill 2022 in the Sarawak State Assembly, introducing licences for forest carbon activities and a framework to monetise forest resources through carbon sequestration.⛓
13. May 2024Tabled the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Bill in the State Assembly, which was passed, to strengthen wildlife protection and clarify responsibilities between the Sarawak Forestry Department and Sarawak Forestry Corporation.⛓

Election history

• 2021Bukit SariWon⛓
• 2016Bukit SariWon⛓
• 2011Bukit SariWon⛓
• 2006Bukit SariWon⛓
• 2001LawasWon⛓
• 1996LawasWon⛓
• 1991LawasWon⛓
• 1987LawasWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• ExpertPolitical analyst Jeniri Amir (Senior Fellow, National Council of Professors) described Awang Tengah and Premier Abang Johari as complementary leaders built on decades of party discipline, noting that 'Awang Tengah handles the implementation, especially in land matters, trade, industry and natural resources.'⛓
• ExpertJeniri Amir credited Abang Johari with launching Awang Tengah's political career during the 1987 Ming Court affair, noting 'it was Abang Jo who suggested that Awang Tengah be fielded as a candidate for the Lawas state seat at the height of the Ming Court affair', establishing the basis of their long political partnership.⛓
• OppositionFree Malaysia Today published a report (July 2025) alleging a 'quiet leadership contest' was brewing within PBB, with factions aligned with Abang Johari and Awang Tengah positioning themselves ahead of the next state election. Awang Tengah dismissed this report as 'baseless and lacking credibility', stating it 'carried no credibility whatsoever; it didn't even state its sources.'⛓
• VerifiedFactsAwang Tengah has held his state seat uninterrupted since 1987 across nine consecutive terms, served as Deputy Premier since May 2017, and concurrently holds two state ministerial portfolios — Natural Resources and Urban Development (Second Minister), and International Trade and Investment — under the current Abang Johari administration.⛓