The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, today bestowed the Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara (SMN) award, which carries the title ‘Tun’, on the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak, Abdul Taib Mahmud.

The investiture took place at the Balai Rong Seri (Throne Room) of the Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur. It was attended by the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Haminah.

Also present were Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife, Rosmah Mansor; Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin; Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem and Taib’s wife, Ragad Kurdi Taib.

Taib was sworn in as Sarawak’s seventh Yang Dipertua Negeri on March 1 after stepping down as the chief minister on Feb 28.

He had been the chief minister for 33 years from March 26, 1981, after having succeeded his uncle, Abdul Rahman Ya’kub.

- Bernama