TAWAU, Sept 4 — An unusual buzz of excitement filled the air in Tawau town this morning as the people waited for the arrival of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah at 0KM Padang Perbandaran Tawau here, where Their Majesties set off on the Kembara Kenali Borneo tour.

The King, who drove a four-wheel-drive vehicle himself, led the 25-vehicle convoy, which was flagged off by Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sabah Tun Juhar Mahiruddin at 8.30am.

Also participating in the programme involving a distance of 2,154 kilometres via the Pan Borneo Highway are Their Majesties’ children Tengku Arif Bendahara Tengku Muhammad Iskandar Ri’ayatuddin Shah, Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Jihan Azizah ‘Athiyatullah, Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Ilisha Ameera and Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Ilyana.

The town had a festival-like atmosphere as locals turned up en masse to catch a glimpse of the royal couple and their entourage.

Rain did not deter local residents from gathering and waiting at the roadsides along the routes the Kembara Kenali Borneo convoy will take since early in the morning.

Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah arrive at the Tawau Airport on September 3 to begin their first-ever ‘Kembara Kenali Borneo’ tour to get to know Malaysians living in Sabah and Sarawak. — Bernama photo