
He received his appointment from Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal today during the state post cabinet meeting at the Sabah Administrative Complex.
The handing over of duties ceremony by Hasim was held thereafter.
Safar got his Bachelor of Land Surveying from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in 1987, Master of Business Administration from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (2006) and Master of Science (Land Development and Administration) from (UTM) in 2008.
The 55-year-old started in the civil service in October 1987 as a district surveyor.
He served in various capacities including assistant land revenue collector and as survey department chief assistant director before eventually becoming its director in 2015.
Safar is married to Maktab Sabah senior principal Nuinda Alias and has four children.