Yang di-Pertua Negeri

The Yang di-Pertua Negeri (literally the "head of state" in Malay) is the official title of the ceremonial governors of the Malaysian states without monarchs (hereditary heads of state), namely Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak. They are appointed to renewable four-year terms by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Paramount Ruler, King), the federal head of state of Malaysia on the advice of the Prime Minister after consulting the state governments. A Yang di-Pertua Negeri is entitled to the style Tuan Yang Terutama (T.Y.T.), or in English, His Excellency.

A Yang di-Pertua Negeri functions as a head of state in a parliamentary democracy. His discretionary roles include appointing the head of government, the Ketua Menteri or Chief Minister (usually the leader of the major party in the state legislature), and withholding consent to dissolve the state legislature. On all other matters, he must act on the advice of the Chief Minister, such as appointing the members of the state's Executive Council (Cabinet in Sabah), conferring state honours and granting pardons for offences committed in his state (except pardons for court martial and syariah offences, which are granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong).

Penang

Penang is a state in Malaysia located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Strait of Malacca.

Penang state is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. It is composed of two parts — Penang Island, where the seat of government is, and Seberang Perai (formerly Province Wellesley in English) on the Malay Peninsula.

Highly urbanised and industrialised, Penang is one of the most developed and economically important states in the country, as well as a thriving tourist destination. Penang has the third-highest Human Development Index in Malaysia, after the state of Selangor and the federal territory of Kuala Lumpur. Its heterogeneous population is highly diverse in ethnicity, culture, language and religion. A resident of Penang is colloquially known as a Penangite (in English),Penang lang (in the local Penang Hokkien dialect) or a Penangkaran (In Tamil)

Etymology

The name of "Penang" comes from the modern Malay name Pulau Pinang, which means "island of the areca nut palm" (Areca catechu, family Palmae). The name Penang may refer either to the island of Penang (Pulau Pinang) or the state of Penang (Negeri Pulau Pinang). In Malay, Penang's capital George Town was called and labelled in old maps as Tanjung Penaga (Cape Penaigre), named after the many ballnut trees (also known as Alexandrian laurels, Calophyllum inophyllum) on the coast, but now usually shortened as Tanjung (the Cape).