Kota Kinabalu police chief Kasim Muda said the turnout of approximately 3,500 to 4,000 people who came to greet Musa at Kota Kinabalu International Airport’s (KKIA) Terminal 2 far exceeded expectations.

“We expected 2,000 to 2,500 people but the numbers were beyond this,” he said, reported The Borneo Post.

Kasim said the crowd was not allowed to assemble at the terminal until 30 minutes prior to Musa’s arrival at around noon.

About 150 police personnel were deployed to control traffic and the crowd, he added.

Musa was also greeted by Sabah science, technology and innovation minister Arifin Arif when his aircraft from Kuala Lumpur landed at KKIA.

Also present were state rural development minister Jahid Jahim, state assistant works minister Robert Tawik, state community development and people’s wellbeing minister James Ratib, state tourism, culture and environment minister Christina Liew, as well as several Sabah assemblymen.

Musa, who served as Sabah’s chief minister from 2003 to 2018, will succeed Juhar Mahiruddin, whose tenure as Sabah governor concludes at the end of this month.

Musa’s letter of appointment was presented by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim at Istana Negara yesterday morning, witnessed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The former Sungai Sibuga assemblyman was also awarded the “Tun” title.