KUCHING (Feb 21): Former Sarawak governor and chief minister Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, 87, died in a hospital in Kuala Lumpur early on Wednesday.

The matter was confirmed by Sarawak Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

Private secretary to Deputy Minister of Economy Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib, Nurr Shaffique Abdul Karim also confirmed the news of Abdul Taib's passing.

“Hanifah Hajar’s beloved father, Tun Abdul Taib, returned to his Creator at about 4.40am today (Wednesday). The remains will be taken to the National Mosque, Kuala Lumpur, and then brought back to Kuching, Sarawak," she said in a post on Hanifah Hajar's social media site on Wednesday morning.

As of press time, neither the Astana Negeri Sarawak nor the Sarawak Premier's Office had issued any official statement regarding Abdul Taib's passing.

Born on May 21, 1936, Abdul Taib helmed the state as the chief minister for 33 years.

He was appointed as the seventh Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak, replacing Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng, on March 1, 2014.

After almost 10 years in the position, Abdul Taib was replaced by Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who was sworn in as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri on Jan 29.

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