KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak was sworn in as Malaysia's sixth prime minister today, taking over from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who stepped down after leading the country for over five years.
Najib, 55, took his oath of office before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Negara.
Dressed in a black baju Melayu complete with sampin, Najib arrived at the palace at 9.42am, accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor. Together they entered the Balairong Seri at 10am, followed by Abdullah and his wife, Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah.
The dignitaries present included Cabinet ministers, mentris besar, the Dewan Negara president and the Dewan Rakyat speaker.
A total of 319 guests, including former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, attended the historic event.
The ceremony, steeped in tradition, began when Tuanku Mizan and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Zahirah entered the throne room at 10.05am and the national anthem was played by the Malaysian Armed Forces band.
After taking his oaths of office, loyalty and confidentiality, Najib signed the four instruments of appointment, followed by the reading of the doa selamat.
The instruments of appointment were then signed by Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff as witness and handed over to Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan.
At the same ceremony, Abdullah and Jeanne were conferred the nation's highest award, the Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara (SMN), which carries the title "Tun", by Tuanku Mizan.
Najib was born in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, on July 23, 1953, and is the eldest son of the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, the nation's second prime minister, and Tun Hajah Rahah Mohd Noah.
His appointment is most significant in the country's history in that this is the first time that a prime minister's son is holding the post.
His leadership capability began to surface when he was elected Pekan Umno division Youth head in 1976 and he went on to become the country's youngest Member of Parliament at the age of 22 when he won the Pekan seat unopposed in a by-election following his father's death.
He then went from strength to strength in politics and government to reach the pinnacle as Umno president and Malaysia's prime minister. — Bernama
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