KUALA LUMPUR, June 16  -- Negeri Sembilan Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) chairman Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim was among the five individuals sworn in as senators before the Senate president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran at Dewan Negara today.

All of them were appointed upon the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

The other four were former Home Minister Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad, head of PAS Supporters Club N Balasubramaniam, and former Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s political secretary Muhammad Zahid Md Arip.

The Senate now has 70 members, 26 of whom were state appointees, while 44 others were appointed by the King, including three to represent the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Labuan.

The senators are appointed for a term of three years and can only be reappointed once.
-- BERNAMA