KUALA LUMPUR: On Saturday, shouts of "Daulat Tuanku" will reverberate through the nation when His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim is installed as the 17th King of Malaysia.
July 20, 2024, will be etched in Malaysian history as the day the nation reaffirms its practice of parliamentary democracy with a federal constitutional monarch as head of state.
The installation ceremony of a new Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the first of which was held on Sept 2, 1957, is Malaysia's most important national event held every five years to fulfil the requirements of Article 32(1) of the Federal Constitution.
Among other things, Article 32(1) stipulates that there must be a Supreme Head of the Federation, referred to as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, whose position supersedes all others in the Federation.
In summary, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state with the highest rank in Malaysia. According to the Federal Constitution, His Majesty plays a crucial role in all three main branches of the country – the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary.
ROTATIONAL SYSTEM
Elected through a vote and rotational system among the nine Malay rulers by the Conference of Rulers, as empowered by Article 32(2) of the Federal Constitution, Malaysia has to date seen the appointment of 17 Malay rulers as Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The rotation began with Negri Sembilan, followed by Selangor, Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Johor and Perak.
The first Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad, reigned from Aug 31, 1957, to April 1, 1960.
The first King's installation ceremony took place at Dewan Tunku Abdul Rahman – now known as Malaysia Tourism Centre or MaTiC – in Jalan Ampang here as Istana Negara had not yet been established.
According to historical records, the building witnessed five installation ceremonies of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, with the last being the installation of Sultan of Kelantan Sultan Yahya Petra ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim as the sixth Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Feb 28, 1976.
It was also recorded that the second Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Alaiddin Sulaiman Shah of Selangor – who reigned for only about five months from April 14 to Sept 1, 1960 – passed away before he could be installed as the King.
Before the completion of the new Istana Negara at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's official residence was the palace at Jalan Istana here between 1980 and 2011.
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim was elected the 17th King of Malaysia at the special 263rd meeting of the Conference of Rulers at Istana Negara on Oct 27, 2023. His Majesty replaced Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah of Pahang, whose reign as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong ended on Jan 30, 2024.
On Jan 31, Sultan Ibrahim was sworn in as the 17th King of Malaysia in a ceremony steeped in tradition at Balairung Seri, Istana Negara, marking the beginning of His Majesty's five-year reign.Following the ceremony, the official flag of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was hoisted in Johor for the second time in nearly 35 years.
The first time was when Sultan Ibrahim's father, the late Sultan Iskandar, reigned as the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Agong from April 25, 1984, to April 25, 1989. Sultan Ibrahim's appointment also signifies that the second rotation of the Malay rulers holding the position of Yang di-Pertuan Agong is nearly complete.
NOT OUTDATED
Despite the passage of time, the almost 67-year-old customs associated with the installation of the nation's Head of State remain steadfast, both in terms of the ceremonial proceedings and the regalia used.
According to the Grand Chamberlain of Istana Negara (Datuk Paduka Maharaja Lela) Datuk Azuan Effendy Zairakithnaini, the regalia for the installation of the 17th King is the same as that used in all the previous installations.
"This is an important value...we still uphold the eminence of our country's cultural heritage and traditions. The regalia has been preserved since the installation of the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and will now be used again in the 17th (King of Malaysia's) installation ceremony," he said in an interview with Bernama.
It is also noteworthy that technological advancements, particularly in information technology, have not compromised the decorum and courtesy aspects of the 17th King's installation ceremony.
This is evident, among other things, in the instrument of invitation to the installation ceremony, which is handwritten in the Jawi script. Just like in the era of the old Malay sultanates, the invitations were delivered by emissaries, not via postal or courier services.
"The instrument of invitation is inserted in a capsule (cylindrical-shaped case) and presented to the Rulers, Yang Dipertua Negeri and foreign royalty.
"The delegation (presenting the invitations) was headed by (Communications Minister) Fahmi Fadzil, chairman of the Special Committee for Events in Conjunction with the Installation Ceremony of the 17th King.
"In fact, the special thing about this was that His Majesty consented to personally presenting the invitation to the Sultan of Brunei, demonstrating the close kinship among the Malay rulers," added Azuan Effendy.
PERSONAL TOUCHES
He also said even though the ceremonial aspects of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's installation ceremony have remained intact since 1957, each event had a unique charm, thanks to the personal touches added by the reigning Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong.
For the upcoming installation ceremony, Sultan Ibrahim and Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia's favourite colour, Tiffany blue (a light blue colour with a hint of green), is incorporated into certain elements along with the royal yellow and Johor's royal blue colours.
His Majesty is also directly involved in several matters, including personally selecting the design for the souvenirs and medals to be given to the guests.
"Sultan Ibrahim has prioritised the hibiscus pattern, which symbolises His Majesty as the Head of State of Malaysia, even though the Johor royal emblem features motifs of pepper (and gambier) plants," said Azuan Effendy.
(The hibiscus is Malaysia's national flower, as declared by the first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj on July 28, 1960.)
TAHLIL CEREMONY
The installation ceremony of the 17th King will begin with the Yasin Recital and 'Doa Selamat' ceremony, scheduled to take place tomorrow (July 18) at the National Mosque here.
"This ceremony also holds symbolic meaning as we leave it to Allah the Almighty that all preparations and proceedings of the installation ceremony of His Majesty are carried out perfectly.
"The next day, on Friday, we will have a special sermon and Friday prayers at the National Mosque. The text of the sermon is about the sovereignty of the King as a guide to the people and why it is important for the institutions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and constitutional monarchy to continue thriving in this country," said Azuan Effendy.
He said the sermon will be read in all mosques in the federal territories and the states without Sultans, while in states with Sultans, it will be subject to the consent of their respective Rulers.
"The installation ceremony of His Majesty will commence at 9.15 am on Saturday at Istana Negara. About 700 guests are expected to attend, including the Sultans, Yang Dipertua Negeri, Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim), Cabinet ministers, the foreign diplomatic community of this country and top national leaders," he said.
The Sultan of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and the King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa are also expected to attend.
In the evening, a Royal Banquet will be held at Istana Negara.Other events to commemorate the installation ceremony include the Queen's visit to the Orang Asli Hospital in Gombak, Selangor, on July 23. - BERNAMA