KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has left for a six-day visit to Qatar beginning today.
Comptroller of the Royal Household, Datuk Seri Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, said the visit was on the personal invitation of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, in conjunction with the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
"Besides watching the semi finals and final of the World Cup, His Highness is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call and meet with Sheikh Tamim.
"His Highness is also scheduled to receive the audience of several Qatari government leaders and attend a banquet with Malaysians in Qatar during the visit," Ahmad Fadil said in a statement.
The King is expected to return to Malaysia on December 19.
"Sheikh Tamim's personal invitation was presented to the King by Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani during an audience on August 12," said Ahmad Fadil.
The King was a member of the FIFA Executive Committee from 2015 to 2019.
Following his ascension as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong in early 2019, the King consented to step down from the position in line with Articles 34(2), 32(3) and 32(4) of the Federal Constitution.