SEPANG (Bernama) — A magnificent and colourful parade welcomed outgoing Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Riáyatuddin Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah at the Kuala Lumpur Airport (KLIA) on Tuesday.
Showcasing the charm and beauty of Malay cultural heritage, the well-arranged parade not only attracted the attention of the royal couple, but also locals and tourists who gathered around KLIA to witness the sending-off ceremony of Their Majesties to their home state Pahang.
The procession, which started from the entrance of the Bunga Raya Complex to the complex building, covering a distance of about 200 metres, was held to revive the glory days of the past Malay Rulers.
Leading the procession are two elephants, named Myan Thon Pian and Rambai, and accompanying them are the drummers, warriors, court officials, spear bearers and palace assistants.
Also in the procession are bearers carrying the sirih junjung, a replica of the gold flowers, yellow umbrellas and the royal colours, as well as Malaysians of various races and religions, followed by the special vehicle carrying Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah and 16 horses from the 21st Cavalry Ceremonial Squadron of the Royal Armor Corps (Ceremonial).
The more than 30-minute procession also involved 399 participants, including from the National Culture and Arts Department (JKKN) and art and culture groups from several states.
They were accompanied by the royal orchestra (nobat) which provided the music using traditional Malay musical instruments such as the Gendang (drum), Nafiri (long clarinet), Serunai (flute) and a Gong.
Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Mustafa Billah Shah and Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah ended their reign as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri Agong on Tuesday.
The ceremonial send-off for the royal couple to their home state was held to show the Malaysian government’s and its people’s gratitude for Their Majesties’ services and sacrifices.
The special ceremony, while brief was steeped in Malay traditions and customs that symbolise the uniqueness of the royal institution in the country.
Al-Sultan Abdullah, 64, who took the oath of office as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Jan 31, 2019, and Tunku Azizah left the Istana Negara at about 8 am accompanied by the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, as the minister in attendance.
The sending-off ceremony involved several locations, including the Istana Negara, Parliament Square, as well as several main roads from the federal capital leading to the Bunga Raya Complex, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where Their Majesties will board a plane back to Pahang.
Al-Sultan Abdullah was proclaimed the sixth Sultan of Pahang on Jan 15, 2019, to succeed his then ailing father, Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah, who died on May 22, 2019.
Al-Sultan Abdullah will be replaced by the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, elected as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong for five years starting Wednesday.
