Installation of 16th Agong holds unique significance

KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 (Bernama) -- The installation of the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on July 30 holds special significance, not only for the King and Queen but also for all Malaysians, according to the Grand Chamberlain at Istana Negara, Azuan Effendy Zairakithnaini.

He said Istana Negara is committed and determined to record memorable moments during the installation to be cherished forever by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustaffa Billah Shah, and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah have attended the installation of their fathers, namely Almarhum Paduka Ayahanda Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah as the seventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Almarhum Sultan Iskandar as the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, he said.

Therefore, he said, Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah surely harbour expectations and the dream of seeing a glorious ceremony in keeping with the traditions of the Malay Sultanate while reliving the nostalgia of the installation of their fathers.

"We at Istana Negara are doing our best to fulfill the dreams and expectations of the King, because I know that the King is not doing this for himself, but for the country, so that Malaysia is regarded as a dignified nation, filled with customs," he told Bernama.

Among the requests of His Majesty were that the Istana Negara retrieve the thrones of both his father and father in-law, when they were appointed as the seventh and eighth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, respectively.

"With the help of the Ministry of Tourism and the National Museum, we retrieved all the thrones that were used by the previous kings, and we also got the relevant historical information regarding the thrones, such as who had sat on them, as well as when and where they were used.

"So when we did a retrospective study, we finally found the throne used by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s father and mother during the installation ceremony at the time, and we are currently making repairs (on the throne)," he said.

In addition, Azuan Effendy said Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah were also actively involved in providing ideas and detailing the preparation of the Installation Ceremony.

He said many things such as the design of the invitation cards, souvenirs and programme books, as well as the selection of clothing such as ‘songket’ (cloth embroidered with gold or silver thread) and ‘tengkolok’ (headdress) to be worn by officials were determined by the royal couple in detail.

"This reflects the seriousness of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong to ensure that the Installation Ceremony this time will be a memorable affair for years to come," he said.

Azuan Effendy said that although he had an important role of leading the Installation Ceremony which would be telecast live and watched by everyone, the responsibilities of other personnel such as food supervisors and logistics providers were far more difficult and challenging.

He said the preparation for the Installation Ceremony required teamwork involving thousands of officers who were working hard to ensure the event is a success.

"Only, as the day gets closer, we feel a little bit of ‘pressure’ as there are many minor details which may have been overlooked, so we feel like it is not enough time. However, we have to make sure all the challenges are overcome and the event goes smoothly," he said.

This is the second time Azuan will be leading the ceremony, with his first stint during the installation of the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, and he has also been involved in the preparation for the ceremonies of the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin and 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V.

-- BERNAMA