King attends Trooping the Colours ceremony

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 12 -- Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah today attended the Trooping the Colours at Dataran Pahlawan Negara in Precinct 1 here.

Their Majesties arrived at 8.30 am. The Negaraku national anthem was played and a 21-gun salute was fired by the 41st Battery, Royal Artillery Regiment, led by Lt Col Mohd Asri Che Wil.

Then, five Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) helicopters bearing the Jalur Gemilang national flag as well as the flags of the MAF, Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and Army performed a flypast overhead, led by Maj Abdul Khalid Zainal Abidin of the RMAF 10th Squadron.

Al-Sultan Abdullah inspected a guard-of-honour mounted by 22 officers and 550 personnel from the three MAF wings and then stood on a special dais to take the royal salute before the soldiers led by the commanding officer of the Second Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment, Lt Col Ahmad Muzaimi Mohd Ali.

Then, the combined MAF central band, led by Maj Muhammad Nor Azizan Yahaya, led the Trooping the Colours of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in slow- and quick-march tempo.

Five colours were paraded at the ceremony, namely those of the Royal Malay Regiment; Royal Ranger Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps, Royal Malaysian Navy and Royal Malaysian Air Force.

Trooping the Colours is a demonstration of respect, honour and ceremonial pledge of allegiance by the three services of the armed forces to the King and country.

The ceremony ended with three hails of Daulat Tuanku by the guard-of-honour. This was followed by a recitation of the doa (prayers).

Al-Sultan Abdullah then took the royal salute again as the five MAF aircraft performed another flypast. Their Majesties left at 9.30 am.

The ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali; Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Tan Sri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin.

Also present were senior officers from all the three wings of the MAF and the defence attaches of several foreign missions in the country.

-- BERNAMA