30,000 Johoreans to line up to see off new King

JOHOR BARU: Some 30,000 Johoreans are expected to line a 35km stretch here on Wednesday to see off Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar on his journey to begin his reign as the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Johor police chief Comm M. Kumar said the Johor Ruler is scheduled to leave Istana Bukit Serene at about 8am that day and head straight to the royal hangar at Senai International Airport.

“From Istana Bukit Serene, His Majesty is expected to reach the royal hangar in about an hour.

“Along the way, there will be tens of thousands of people, estimated to be between 20,000 and 30,000, who will cheer and show their support for the Sultan,” he said.

He added that some 1,200 policemen and members of other supporting agencies will be deployed to ensure the occasion goes smoothly.

“The 35.5km of road will be closed for about an hour, starting from 7.45am. I urge those who have things to attend to in the morning to leave early.

“I would also like to remind the public to heed the advice of our personnel and officers for their own safety,” he said.

Comm Kumar encouraged Johoreans to turn up and accord a memorable send-off for their Ruler.

“There are about 15 points along the way where the people can go to if they want to join the crowd.

“I urge Johoreans to come forward and show support to our Sultan. This is a historic moment for us,” he said.

Sultan Ibrahim will begin his five-year rule as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Wednesday.

He will succeed Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who is the Sultan of Pahang.