Royal honour
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud receiving an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters from Universiti Malaya chancellor Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah during a special convocation ceremony at the university’s Dewan Tunku Canselor. The honorary degree is in recognition of His Majesty’s contributions as a revolutionary, innovative leader of Saudi Arabia.
KUALA LUMPUR: Saudi Arabia’s Ruler King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud has been conferred an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters by Universiti Malaya at a special convocation ceremony.
The honorary degree was presented by Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, who is also UM Chancellor, in recognition of the King’s contribution as a revolutionary and his innovative leadership.
The King received his degree in conjunction with his state visit to Malaysia. He will be here until tomorrow.
“This conferment is expected to open new horizons in the long standing relations between local institutions of higher learning and Saudi Arabia,” said UM ViceChancellor Tan Sri Prof Dr Mohd Amin Jalaludin in a statement yesterday.
“It is also hoped that this conferment will strengthen the existing ties between the two nations in terms of research and exchange of academic staff.
“This conferment is also a testimony of the faith and trust of the Saudi government towards the high standards of the education sector here especially in the field of medicine,” he added.
Between 1963 and 2011, King Salman served as the Deputy Governor and Governor of Riyadh for 48 years.
He was then appointed Minister of Defence.
He was named the Crown Prince in 2012 following the death of his brother, Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
Salman was crowned the new King of Saudi Arabia on Jan 23, 2015, following the death of his half- brother King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
The last state visit by the King of Saudi Arabia to Malaysia was in 2006 by the late King Abdullah.
Before that, the late King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud made a state visit to Malaysia in 1970.