Abang Johari signs a document to mark his first day at the Chief Minister’s Office, witnessed by Wan Khalik.
KUCHING: Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg began his first official day as the Chief Minister of Sarawak yesterday.
Upon his arrival at Wisma Bapa Malaysia in Petra Jaya here around 9am, he was warmly welcomed by State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Hui Kian and former principal private secretary to chief minister Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad.
They then proceeded to the VIP lift to take them to the 22nd floor, where the Chief Minister’s Office is. Abang Johari, 66, was sworn in as the state’s sixth chief minister last Friday at Astana Negeri, following the death of Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem – the fifth chief minister – on Wednesday due to heart complications. Prior to the appointment, Abang Johari was the deputy president of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB). Now, he is the party’s acting president.
Under Adenan’s administration, he was a Deputy Chief Minister, the Housing and Urbanisation Minister and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister.
In the State Legislative Assembly (DUN), Abang Johari represents the Satok constituency. It is said that his first challenge as chief minister would be to retain Tanjong Datu constituency – of which Adenan was the assemblyman – under the state Barisan Nasional (BN) in the impending by-election.