KUALA KANGSAR, Dec 10 (Bernama) — Kota Tampan assemblyman Datuk Saarani Mohamad was sworn in as the 14th Menteri Besar of Perak before the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah at 11.20 am today.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at Istana Iskandariah here.

After taking his oath of office as Perak MB, Saarani, 59, who is Perak UMNO Liaison Committee chairman, was also sworn in as a member of Dewan Negara Perak.

He then signed the letter of his appointment, witnessed by Ipoh High Court Chief Judge Datuk Hisham Hashim and State Secretary Datuk Suaidi Abdul Rahim.

Also present at the ceremony were the Raja Muda of Perak Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa and Raja Dihilir Perak Raja Iskandar Dzulkarnain Sultan Idris Shah.

Sultan Nazrin had consented to the appointment of Saarani as Menteri Besar based on Article 16 Clause 2 (a) of the Perak Constitution after considering that the Kota Tampan assemblyman was capable of gaining the majority support and confidence of the Perak State Assembly members.

Saarani replaces Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu who resigned on Dec 5 after he failed to obtain the majority support of the state assemblymen in a vote of confidence moved by Datuk Abd Manap Hashim (BN-Pengkalan Baru) at the State Assembly sitting a day earlier.

Ahmad Faizal secured only 10 votes, while 48 voted against him and one abstained.