PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA - Pangkor assemblyman Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir will be the new Perak Mentri Besar (literally "big minister", the chief executive of the state government), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

New man at the helm: Pangkor assemblyman Datuk Dr. Zambry Abd kadir will be sworn in Friday.

Abdullah, who is Barisan Nasional chairman, announced this after returning from his official visit to Istana Kinta in Ipoh yesterday evening, where he had an audience with the Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah.

"Sultan Azlan Shah has consented to Zambry being appointed the Mentri Besar. He will be sworn in at 3.30pm tomorrow (today) at the Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar," he said.

Abdullah added that the new state executive council would be sworn in at 10am the day after.

Zambry, meanwhile, thanked the Sultan, the Prime Minister and his deputy for trusting him to carry out the responsibility.