Abu Zahar Ujang promises to continue serving the nation and race even though he ends his services for two terms as the president of the Dewan Negara on April 25.

He made the promise to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak while speaking at an event to mark the end of his tenure in Kuala Lumpur, last night.

"To the prime minister, for as long as I am alive, I will do whatever I can to serve the country and race. That is my promise," he said.

Najib was present as guest of honour at the event which was hosted by parliament and launch of Abu Zahar's jottings as the 16th president of the Dewan Negara which depicts his experience during the six years in office.

Abu Zahar,72, the former president of the Malaysian Council of Former Elected Representatives (Mubarak), was appointed as the 16th president of the Dewan Negara, replacing Wong Foon Meng who ended his service on April 12, 2010.

Abu Zahar began his career in 1964 as an inspector with the Royal Malaysian Police and rose to rank of deputy superintendant in the Commercial Criminal Investigation Department, Bukit Aman in 1979.

From 1980 until Jun 1986, Abu Zahar served in the legal profession before he was elected as Pilah state assemblyperson and appointed as state executive councillor for housing and local government by the Negri Sembilan government.

In 1991, he defended the Pilah state seat before he was elected as Kuala Pilah MP from 1995 to 1999.

No rubber stamp

Meanwhile, Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia in his speech described Abu Zahar as a concerned parliamentarian who was disciplined, thorough, hardworking and calm.

"His wide experience as a former member of the police force, legal practitioner and former Dewan Rakyat member was applied in the best way for the benefit of the parliamentary institution."

Pandikar said under Abu Zahar, the senate had seen an improvement in the quality of debate among the members and had changed the public perception that the senate was merely a "rubber stamp".

- Bernama