KUANTAN, Aug 26 — The royal wedding ceremony of Sultan Pahang’s daughter, Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Afzan Aminah Hafidzatullah, and her partner FD Idzham FD Iskandar took place with full traditional splendour at Balai Mahkota, Istana Abdulaziz, yesterday evening.

The ceremony was witnessed by Sultan Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and his consort, Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

Also present were Sultanah Terengganu Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Tengku Mahkota Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, and daughter of former Indonesian President Suharto, Siti Hediati Hariyadi.

The ceremony began at 8.30 pm, with Tengku Puteri Afzan, who is also the twin of Tengku Panglima Perang Tengku Ahmad Ismail Mu’adzam Shah, being escorted into Balai Mahkota, followed by the arrival of the groom, FD Idzham, accompanied by the sounds of kompang (traditional drum).

FD Idzham then approached his bride and presented a ‘sirih lat-lat’ (betel leaves arrangement), which resembled a small bouquet, to Tengku Puteri Afzan, who was awaiting at the soft blue wedding dais.

The event continued with the traditional feeding of ‘nasi semangat’ or ‘pulut kuning’ (yellow sticky rice) between the elegantly dressed bride and groom in white attire, conducted by Tengku Puteri Seri Lela Wangsa Tan Sri Dr Tengku Meriam Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah.

Following this, the wedding and ‘merenjis’ ceremony was carried out and completed by Al-Sultan Abdullah, followed by Tunku Azizah, Sultanah Zahirah, Tengku Hassanal, and the groom’s elder brother, who was elegantly dressed in a blue baju Melayu.

The parents of the groom, Datuk Seri Fateh Iskandar Mohamed Mansor and Datin Seri Hafizah Mohd Zakaria, as well as Tan Sri Mohamed Mansor Fateh Din and Puan Sri Zainun Yaacob, the grandparents of FD Idzham, also participated in the ‘Merenjis’ ceremony for the newlyweds.

Special guests Siti Hediati Hariyadi, Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, and his wife Datin Seri Burhah Mohammed also took part in the ceremony for the royal couple.

The event concluded with the placing of ceremonial items and the recitation of blessings by Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah, followed by a prayer led by Pahang Mufti Prof Datuk Dr Asmadi Mohamed Naim.

The couple were then escorted from the wedding ceremony to the cake-cutting and dining event.

Tengku Puteri Afzan and FD Idzham were officially married at 9 pm last Thursday in a ceremony held at Balai Mahkota, followed by an ‘istiadat berinai’ (henna application ceremony) the following day. — Bernama