Kelantan Sultan opens state assembly with armed bodyguards

The Sultan flanked by armed bodyguards at the state legislative assembly.

PETALING JAYA: Pictures of Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan arriving for the opening of the state legislative assembly sitting flanked by conspicuously-armed bodyguards have gone viral.

It is also the talk of the town in Kelantan because politicians in the state say that this is the first time that the Sultan, robed in his royal regalia, has officiated at the state assembly guarded by men openly armed with assault rifles.

The bodyguards, who were attired in dark suits, striped ties and songkok, were seen gripping the rifles which were strapped across their bodies as the Sultan walked along the royal yellow carpet.

All royal figures have bodyguards except that they are more discreetly armed.

However, the security-conscious Sultan Muhammad V is widely known to move around with openly armed bodyguards even when attending social functions like dinners in or outside of Kelantan.

This has been his practice since ascending to the throne in 2010.