KUCHING: Outgoing Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud is expected to have an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Shah Mu’adzam on Friday to receive his credentials as the seventh Sarawak Yang di-Pertua Negeri.
Bernama has learned that the audience will be held at Istana Negara at 3pm and Taib will return to Kuching on the same day.
The Sarawak Chief Minister’s Department Public Relations and Corporate Affairs Unit, in a statement yesterday, said the new Yang di-Pertua Negeri would be given a rousing reception at the Kuching International Airport at 8pm on his return from Kuala Lumpur.
The new Yang di-Pertua Negeri will be sworn-in at the Sarawak State Assembly, Petra Jaya on Saturday.
Bernama also learned that Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem will be sworn-in as the new chief minister on Friday before outgoing Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin at Astana Negeri at 9am.
It will be Salahuddin’s final official ceremony before Taib takes over as head of state.
With his appointment as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Taib has to step down as Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president and Balingian assemblyman.
A by-election will be held in Balingian if the state seat is declared vacant.
In the 2011 state election, Taib retained the Balingian seat in a three-cornered fight, defeating Suriati Abdullah of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and Datuk Salleh Jafaruddin (Independent) by a 5,154 vote-majority. — Bernama