KUANTAN, Feb 21 — Kuantan, the capital of Pahang, is now a city.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah proclaimed the status in a historic event here today.

His Majesty, who is the Sultan of Pahang, decreed the appointment of Kuantan Municipal Council president Datuk Hamdan Hussin as the first Datuk Bandar (mayor) of Kuantan.

The proclamation ceremony took place at the Kuantan City Complex, in full compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of the conditional movement control order (CMCO) in force in Pahang.

Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah; the Regent of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah; and other children of Their Majesties attended the event.

Also present were Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman; Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail; Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin; Communications and Multimedia Minister and MP for Indera Mahkota Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah as well as members of the Pahang state administration.

In his royal address, Al-Sultan Abdullah expressed his desire to see Kuantan, where the local government system came into being through the setting up of the Kuantan Sanitary Board on August 1, 1913, achieve much success and evolve into a city of excellence.

"The establishment of a city is not merely in name. As such, going forward, my state government and the Kuantan City Council must always focus on improving the well-being of and services for the people.

"Let’s pray on this historic day that Kuantan will evolve into a city of excellence and will always receive the blessings of Allah SWT,” he said.

At the event, Al-Sultan Abdullah also officially opened the Kuantan City Complex and watched a video on the development of Kuantan since the time it was declared the capital of Pahang on August 27, 1955.

Wan Rosdy, in his speech earlier, said His Majesty’s presence at the event brought back memories of an event over 40 years ago — Sept 1, 1979 — when Kuantan was elevated from a town to a municipality.

"Then, His Majesty, in his 20s and still single and attired in a light blue suit, officiated at that ceremony and today, after more than four decades, has come to proclaim the city status.

"I have to also pay tribute to the huge contributions of the late Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah who, during his reign, would regularly drive around to see the progress of Kuantan,” he said.

Hamdan, who has been the Kuantan Municipal Council president since June 19, 2019, pledged to discharge his responsibilities as the mayor with full integrity, honesty and trust and to fight corruption. — Bernama