KOTA KINABALU: The newly appointed Yang DiPertua Negeri of Sabah, Tun Musa Aman, has accepted his appointment with great pride and hope, pledging to serve the state and its people in his new role.
Describing it as a “great honour,” Musa acknowledged the trust placed in him by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
“I accept this appointment with great pride and hope I can continue to be of service to the state and the people in my capacity as Governor of Sabah,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 17).
The 73-year-old former chief minister thanked His Majesty for consenting to his appointment as the 11th Yang DiPertua Negeri in a ceremony at Istana Negara.
He also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor for their confidence in recommending him for the esteemed position.
During the ceremony, Musa was conferred the Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara award, which carries the title “Tun”.
Musa succeeds outgoing governor Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, whose 14-year term ends on Dec 31. Juhar had been serving since his appointment on Jan 1, 2011.
Born on March 30, 1951, in Beaufort, about 97km South of Kota Kinabalu, Musa holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Edith Cowan University, Australia.
He served as Sabah’s 14th Chief Minister from March 27, 2003, to May 12, 2018 — the longest-serving Chief Minister in the state’s history.
Musa was also the Sungai Sibuga Assemblyman for six terms (1994-2020) and held key positions, including Sabah Finance Minister, Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department, and Malaysia’s Honorary Consul in Bangladesh.