KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah today presented the instrument of appointment as the 8th Yang Dipertua Negeri of Penang to Tan Sri Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak in a ceremony held at Istana Negara here.

The appointment will take effect from tomorrow for a four-year term. Ahmad Fuzi replaces Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas who has served for 20 years.

Al-Sultan Abdullah also conferred the Darjah Kebesaran Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara, which carries the title Tun to Ahmad Fuzi.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife, Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman were in attendance.

Also present were Senate president Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and State Secretary Datuk Abdul Razak Jaafar.

Born in Sungai Bakap, Penang, Ahmad Fuzi, 72, joined the Administrative and Diplomatic Service in 1972 and has served in various capacities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including as the Secretary-General until 2009.

He has also led Malaysia's senior officials in various bilateral meetings, as well as regional and international summits, and played a prominent role in organising the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit (2003), the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit (2003) and the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur (2005).

-- BERNAMA