PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob extended his thanks to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for consenting to his appointment as the ninth Prime Minister of Malaysia.

       Ismail Sabri also thanked MPs and party heads after taking office as the ninth Prime Minister at Istana Negara on Saturday (Aug 21).

       "Thank you to all MPs, and party chiefs for the support given. I will make a formal statement for the people tomorrow (Sunday, Aug 22)," he told Bernama reporters when met at the side of the road near Istana Negara Saturday.

       Ismail Sabri was seen speaking in a one-minute video released by Bernama on Facebook.

       It was later learnt that Ismail Sabri entered Istana Negara through Gate 2 and exited through Gate 1 at 3.26pm.

       Ismail Sabri was earlier present at Istana Negara for the swearing-in ceremony at 2.30pm.

       As he exited through Gate 1, he wound down the window from his heavily tinted black MPV and waved to reporters.

       Ismail Sabri was the former deputy prime minister in the Perikatan Nasional government and replaced Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned as prime minister on Aug 16.

       The King named Ismail Sabri for the post on Friday (Aug 20) after 114 MPs from various parties which were part of the previous Perikatan government named him as their choice for prime minister.