A royal event
Ceremony marks official reign of Sultan Muhammad V
Sultan Muhammad V’s reign officially begins today with his coronation as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
KUALA LUMPUR: Today, Malaysians will witness the installation of the country’s Supreme Head, the Sultan of Kelantan Sultan Muhammad V, who replaces Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
This is the second time the installation ceremony of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will take place at the Balairong Seri of Istana Negara in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, with preparations in full gear for today’s event.
The ceremony, full of customs and traditions, will mark the official installation of Sultan Muhammad V as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
According to the Penolong Datuk Paduka Maharaja Lela, Ceremonial Division, at the Istana Negara, Azuan Effendy Zairakithnaini, the coronation date coincided with an important day in the Islamic calendar, the Israk and Mikraj (night journey and ascension of Prophet Muhammad), and it was chosen by His Majesty based on the advice from ulama and mufti.
The ceremony, which is only expected to be witnessed once in five years, will begin at 9.30am.
Sultan Muhammad V took his oath of office and signed the declaration on Dec 13 last year, which strengthened and gave legitimacy to the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as head of state.
His Majesty will be the second Sultan of Kelantan to reign as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The first was His Majesty’s grandfather Sultan Yahya Petra Sultan Ibrahim, who was the sixth Yang di-Pertuan Agong and reigned from 1975 to 1979.
Sultan Muhammad V was born Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra on Oct 6, 1969 in Kota Baru, to Sultan Ismail Petra and Tengku Anis Tengku Abdul Hamid.
His Majesty used the name Sultan Muhammad V after he was installed as the 29th Sultan of Kelantan in 2010.
According to Azuan Effendy, the installation ceremony will maintain the core elements of the traditions that have been in practice since the coronation of the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Rahman of Negri Sembilan.
Today’s event will start with the arrival of Sultan Muhammad V at the royal dais to take the Royal Salute from the First Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment.
Among the key elements of the ceremony will be when His Majesty enters the Throne Room, accompa- nied with the musical tunes of Raja Berangkat played by the Pasukan Gendang Besar Diraja Kelantan, commanders who will carry the Cogan Alam (Sceptre of the Universe) and the Cogan Agama (Sceptre of Religion), and bearers of the royal regalia – important elements that reflect the glorious position of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the head of state.
The Datuk Paduka Maharaja Lela will present a copy of the Quran to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in a symbolic gesture depicting His Majesty’s role as head of the Islamic religion of the Federation and the states that do not have a Ruler.
Another highlight will be when the Royal Long Keris is presented to the King, symbolising His Majesty’s willingness to assume his role as head of state. The climax of the ceremony is when His Majesty takes his oath as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and three calls of “Daulat Tuanku” by Datuk Paduka Maharaja Lela followed by the audience in the hall.
The national anthem will be played with a 21-gun salute to announce the installation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.