Down-to-earth monarch with a sense of humour
YANG di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V is loved by his subjects for his down-toearth style.
The King is known to have occasionally set aside strict palace protocol and tight security in order to get closer with the rakyat.
One instance is his regular participation in the ibadah korban or sacrificial ritual in conjunction with Hari Raya Haji.
His Majesty would carry out the slaughtering of cattle earmarked for the ritual, without much difficulty.
Slaughtering cattle is a no ordinary task for a man, but when a king performed it so casually it warmed the hearts of the rakyat and brought them closer.
Sultan Muhammad V is also known for his spontaneity and sense of humour.
While delivering his speech at the first meeting of the fifth session of the 13th Parliament in March last year, he paused and reached out to a bottle of water.
Opening the bottle, the King casually said: “Sekejap ... minum air kejap (One moment ... taking a drink).” That was telecast live on TV.
But his cheeky remark at the official opening of the first session of the 14th Parliament on July 17 which was also telecast live on TV must have been the most watched and talked about.
His Majesty, before taking his seat, said: “Tuan Yang Dipertua Dewan Rakyat, Tuan Yang Dipertua Dewan Negara dan Ahli-ahli yang Berhormat sekalian, sila duduk dan jangan lari (President of the Senate, Speaker of Dewan Rakyat and honourable members, please sit down and don’t run away).”
The remark drew laughter from both sides of the bench.
The King then continued with his Royal Address.
Deputy Kelantan Speaker Datuk Abdul Fattah Mahmood said His Majesty was good at cracking spontaneous jokes.
“Tuanku’s jokes can easily go viral, because it is short and punchy, and people can relate to it,” he said.
Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob said people of all races and ages were drawn to His Majesty’s humble ways.
“Even the Siamese community seek the consent of His Majesty prior to appointing their chief monk in Kelantan,” he said.