KUALA LUMPUR: The installation ceremony of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim as the 17th King of Malaysia at Istana Negara on Saturday was a grand event steeped in tradition and widely reported by media outlets around the world.
In Singapore, Mediacorp's Malay-language platform, Berita, not only featured news produced by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) but also shared pictorial reports on its social media pages.
CNA produced a detailed news video report on the ceremony, which was attended by hundreds of guests, including Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife, Ho Ching. The event was also covered by SPH Media's publications Berita Harian Singapura and The Straits Times (ST).
China's Xinhua News Agency highlighted the ceremony, noting the presence of dignitaries such as Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
In its report, Xinhua mentioned His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim's royal address, in which he pledged to reign with honesty, sincerity, fairness, and compassion for the people and the nation.
The British online newspaper, The Independent, covered the coronation with a focus on His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim's background, tracing his lineage to the southern Malaysian state of Johor, whose Sultanate dates back to the 16th century.
The Independent explained Malaysia's unique rotational monarchy system, where the heads of the country's nine royal families take turns serving as King for a five-year term, a system that began with Malaysia's independence from Britain in 1957.
The Associated Press (AP) provided an overview of the installation with the headline, "What to know about Malaysia's coronation of its King, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar," focussing on the King's role in Malaysia and Sultan Ibrahim's background.
The French International News Agency (AFP) carried the headline: "Motorcycle-riding Sultan crowned Malaysian King," adding a unique angle to its coverage of the coronation. – BERNAMA