YB Datuk Dr Effendi Norwawi
Minister For Agriculture, Malaysia
University of Tasmania Alumnus

YB Datuk (Dr) Effendi Norwawi, age 51, is in his second term in office as elected member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly, the President of the Sarawak Backbencher's Club, and the Vice President of Sarawak's ruling party, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Sarawak (PBB), respectively. He is also a Member of Parliament for Kuala Rejang, Sarawak.

He is a member of the Malaysian Business council, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry's Advisory Board, and sits on the National Council for Higher Learning. He was in the National Economic Consultative Committee (MAPEN I) and was Chairman of the National Unity committee. He is now in MAPEN II in the Human Resources Development Committee.

A Malaysian of Sarawak origin, YB Datuk (Dr) Effendi attended Malay College Kuala Kangsar, before completing his Bachelor's degree with Honors in Development Administration at the University of Tasmania, Australia. In 1998, the same University conferred him on honorary Doctorate of Laws.

He began his career as an Assistant Secretary in the Prime Minister's Department (1972), after which he was transferred to the Sarawak Land Development Board as Senior Planning & Administrative Officer. He was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Sarawak State Economic Development Corporation in January 1979 and left two years later to venture into private business. He was recalled to serve the SEDC in 1981, and was duly appointed the Executive Chairman. He served the Corporation for 14 years until his retirement in 1995. During the period SEDC won the top two prestigious National Management Awards - The chief Secretary to the Government (KSN) Quality Award (1992) and the Prime Minister's Quality Award (1994).

YB Datuk (Dr) Effendi is presently Executive Chairman of ENCROP Group which has interests in Media (ntv7 and Synchrosound Recording Studios), Education (he founded the Center for Advanced Design (cenfad) and the Malaysia University of Science and Technology (MUST) in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Property development (Encrop Systembilt Sdn. Bhd.), Timber Concessions and Food Production.

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