KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — "Rahmat bahagia, Tuhan kurniakan, Raja kita, selamat bertakhta”.

The reverberation of the last line of the sacred national anthem, Negaraku, through the Balairung Seri (Throne Room) of Istana Negara, could not have described better the historic event that took place in the city today.

In fact, the last line of the anthem, which literally means "With God’s blessings of grace and happiness, Our King is safely enthroned” perfectly marked the completion of the Installation Ceremony of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim as the 17th King of Malaysia.

The ceremony serves as a formal proclamation to the world that Sultan Ibrahim has ascended to the federal throne as Supreme Head of the Federation of Malaysia, with the solemn duty of safeguarding the wellbeing of the people and the sovereignty of the country for the next five years.

This glittering event also underscores the continuity of the unique rotational system among the nine Malay rulers in the Constitutional Monarchy system that Malaysia has upheld since its independence in 1957.

For the ceremony, Sultan Ibrahim wore the ‘Muskat’, the official dress of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, made of black wool with gold embroidery and decorated with traditional ‘awan larat’ and hibiscus — the national flower — patterns, while Her Majesty the Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah looked elegant in a golden Kurung Johor outfit adorned with the golden hibiscus motif embroidery.

The sounds of the nafiri (trumpet) by the Malaysian Armed Forces and the tune of Raja Berangkat played by the Royal Nobat (Orchestra) of Perak echoed as the royal couple headed to sit on the throne, which is intricately carved with the 99 names of Allah and features a dome design at the top.

The entrance of Their Majesties into the Throne Room not only attracted the attention of the 700 guests at the palace but also millions of Malaysians and foreigners watching the livestream of the event on televisions and social media platforms.

Notably, Sultan Ibrahim’s ascension to the federal throne also made him the second generation of the Johor Sultanate to hold the esteemed position after his father, the late Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail, reigned as the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1984 to 1989.

The installation ceremony of Sultan Ibrahim began with a Royal Salute steeped in military tradition by the three branches of the Malaysian Armed Forces, symbolising the pledge of loyalty of the national defence forces to the King as their Supreme Commander.

Indeed, times change, but customs, traditions and courtesies of the Malay Sultanates were prominently upheld and cherished during the installation of the King, both in terms of the ceremonial procedures and the use of the royal regalia.

Among the highlights of the ceremony was the reciting of the King’s Oath by Sultan Ibrahim, in which he pledged to perform his duties justly and faithfully in accordance with its law and Constitution, and at all times protect the religion of Islam, and uphold the rule of law and order in the country.

As soon as Sultan Ibrahim finished reciting the Oath, the instrumental tune of Nobat Tabal was played by the Royal Nobat of Perak, followed by the chanting of ‘Daulat Tuanku’ three times, the playing of Negaraku, and the 21-gun salute.

In his royal address, the King expressed hope that the government would continue to strive to alleviate the burden of the people and develop the country to be more advanced and prosperous.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his congratulatory speech, described the installation of the 17th King as having created a new page in history and raised the country’s dignity.

Among other things, Anwar said the institution of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the crown of the nation and the binding force of unity and solidarity among the people.

"The government, (and) the people pledge our allegiance and loyalty to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The government will remain consistent in emphasising noble values, strengthening morals and reinforcing national identity while focusing on enhancing love and loyalty to the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara.

"Under the patronage of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the government and the people will weather the challenge of the world economy through new sustainable initiatives,” he said.

In addition to the Malay Rulers and governors of states, two royal guests namely the Sultan of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his wife, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha, and the King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa also graced the ceremony.

Both Deputy Prime Ministers, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his wife Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and his wife Datin Seri Ruziah Mohd Tahir were among the 700 guests at the palace today.

Sultan Ibrahim was born on November 22, 1958, at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Bahru, and is the eldest son of Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail and Almarhumah Enche’ Besar Khalsom Abdullah.

Sultan Ibrahim was elected the 17th King of Malaysia at the special 263rd meeting of the Conference of Rulers on October 27, 2023, and took his oath of office on January 31 this year to replace Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah of Pahang whose reign as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong ended on January 30.

Apart from on televisions and social media platforms, the installation ceremony today was also watched by the people via ‘wayang pacak’ or outdoor movie screenings organised by the Information Department at all 222 parliamentary constituencies across the country. — Bernama