KUCHING, May 10 — Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting today described the death of Dewan Negara President Datuk Mutang Tagal as a great loss to Sarawak and Malaysia.

The 70-year-old died this morning, while being treated at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur.

Ting said he extended his condolences to Mutang’s family on behalf of his party.

"When we first heard that he was not well, we were worried because he was in a foreign country,” he said when asked by reporters to comment on Mutang’s death.

Ting, who is also state deputy minister of tourism, creative industry and performing arts, said SUPP members were very concerned over Mutang’s health and "we were very proud he was the first Dayak to be appointed as a senator, a very great honour to the Dayak community as a whole and for Sarawak, in general”.

He said SUPP members were thrilled when he was appointed as the Senate president.

"Now, with his passing, we feel very sad, personally because we were together in the legal practice 40 years ago,” he said.

Ting said he last met Mutang at Miri Airport on February 12 this year, while he was on his way to Kuala Lumpur.

"I took the opportunity to take picture with him,” he said.

Meanwhile, state assemblymen in the debate on the motion of thanks on the opening address of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly by Governor Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar this afternoon expressed their shock over Mutang’s demise.

They said the death was a great loss to the state, country and Lun Bawang community.