Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and wife Toh Puan Norlidah RM Jasni
KOTA KINABALU : – Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, the longest-serving Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri, concluded his four-term tenure yesterday, having held the post since Jan 1, 2011.
As the state’s 10th Yang Dipertua Negeri, Juhar witnessed significant events and developments across political, economic, security, health, education and religious sectors during his 14 years of service.
Under his leadership, Sabah demonstrated resilience in overcoming various challenges such as the 2013 Lahad Datu intrusion and the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2024, Sabah recorded RM7 billion in state revenue and secured RM1.7 billion in investments from domestic and international investors.
Juhar was succeeded by Tun Musa Aman, who was sworn in as the 11th Yang Dipertua Negeri today.
At an appreciation banquet held on Dec 30, Juhar said the people must be given full attention as they are the foundation and driving force behind Sabah’s progress and success.
He also called for continued collaboration between the state and federal governments, as both have shown exceptional efforts in implementing initiatives that enhance public welfare and national development.
“As my tenure comes to an end, I once again extend my deepest gratitude to the beloved people of Sabah for their unwavering support, cooperation and commitment to advancing the state,” he said.
Following is the profile of Juhar as provided by Istana Seri Kinabalu:
Juhar, 71, was born on Nov 5, 1953, in Kampung Tambisan, Sandakan. He holds a law degree from The Polytechnic, Wolverhampton (1980), and qualified as a Barrister-at-Law from Lincoln’s Inn, London (1981).
He began his career in public service as a First Class Magistrate in 1982 before being appointed political secretary at the Sabah Chief Minister’s Office from 1986 to 1989.
In 1990, he contested and won the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat and served as its Member of Parliament (MP) until 1999.
During this period, he also held the position of Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker.
He later served as Sabah State Assembly speaker from 2002 to 2010.
Juhar is married to Toh Puan Norlidah RM Jasni and the couple has two sons and two daughters. – Bernama