A royal treat to remember

Tradition on display: Some of Istana Negara’s serene beauty captured with the royal yellow of the Balairong Seri in the background, set off by the red of the carpet leading up to it, featuring the obliging King and Queen posing for the media. — Photos: FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

ON Wednesday, some 40 media practitioners were invited to Istana Negara for a luncheon with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. Tunku Azizah was feeling a little under the weather but still made time for us.

The lunch was held after a special interview with the King and Queen since their Majesties will “balik kampung” at the end of this month. It is difficult to believe it has been five years since I first met the royal couple.

It was a nice gesture from Istana Negara that, before proceeding to lunch, palace officials had arranged for a group photo with the royal couple. Then half way through the lunch, Al-Sultan Abdullah caught some of us by surprise when he started walking from one table to another, chatting with us. The Star’s photographer Faihan Ghani said the King stood a good 15 minutes at his table after someone asked about the hugely successful Kembara Kenali Borneo royal expedition.

“Tuanku told us the road trip was an unforgettable experience, and how touched he was by the welcome he received from ordinary people in Sabah and Sarawak,” Faihan said.

“Tuanku also told us stories of how those living in rural areas walked for hours to reach the roadside and waited for a long time to see his convoy passing through, although it was just for a few seconds.”

After completing his rounds, the King stood at one spot in the dining room and, without missing a beat, we all took out our phones to snap a photo with him, one by one. There was no need to rush, it was our time with the King. The Monarch kept on asking “Who is next?” obviously enjoying the neverending enthusiasm shown by those present.

Just when the King thought it was time to end the luncheon, someone asked if he and the Queen would consent to pose by the royal couple’s portrait hung on the other side of the Istana.

Call it “The King and Queen’s day with the media” – the ever obliging Monarch, joined by the Queen, with the rest of us in tow, stopped in the middle of the hallway. In the background, almost on cue, Istana staff opened huge doors.

It was an unplanned, unscripted (by us) moment when we saw the grand Balairong Seri, the room where official events, including the installation of a new King or swearing in of the new government, take place. The royal couple sportingly posed for photos on the chilli-red carpet leading to the royal yellow Balairong Seri – the contrast in colours was intimidating but you could feel the grandness of the room just by standing outside the august hall.

Throughout the luncheon and the short walkabout, the royal couple joked and teased, asking questions and putting us at ease (though we were, of course, mindful of protocol).

This is a side of Al-Sultan Abdullah that many have seen in the last five years. His personality makes him approachable. In diplomacy, this trait helps to forge closer ties and build trust.

In fact, it started way earlier, with his involvement in sports, especially football. Al-Sultan Abdullah, who was president of the Football Association of Malaysia from 2014 to 2017, held various posts in international sports governing bodies – he was a council member of the Asean Football Federation, vice president of the Asean Football Con-federation, member of Fifa’s executive committee, Asian Hockey Federation president, and member of the executive board of the International Federation of Hockey.

It is fair to say that his exposure in the sports world has enabled him to widely network with people from numerous countries. Sports is a tool of unity in bringing people together. The experience he gained was easily applicable and came naturally after he was installed as Malaysia’s 16th King in 2019.

As Malaysia’s head of state, Al- Sultan Abdullah accepted numerous courtesy calls by visiting prime ministers, ministers and outgoing foreign ambassadors.

“He received them as guests to Malaysia. That shows he places importance on relationships,” said Datuk Muzli Mohd Zin, Istana Negara’s head of corporate communications.

Al-Sultan Abdullah has also developed strong relationships with some world leaders over the years, especially in the Middle East. It is common knowledge, for instance, that he shares a special bond with United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed Zayed Al Nahyan, developed during their days together at Sand-hurst Royal Military Academy in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s.

Malaysia’s ambassador to the UAE Datuk Seri Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said while bilateral relations are good, the King’s friendship with the UAE’s ruler paved the way for enhanced trade and economic cooperation.

“It is that personal touch that he has, especially in dealing with royal families in the region. Dealing with the Arabs is not about the image of the country but it is about friendship and networking,” Ahmad Fadil said.

Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, while on a working visit to the UAE in October, admitted that his Majesty played a major role in strengthening bilateral relations with the Middle Eastern country through his close relationship with Sheikh Mohamed.

Over the years we have also seen photos and videos of the King making impromptu stops to buy food by the roadside. He always spent time with the stallholders, talking and taking photos – these acts endeared him thoroughly to the public.

A recent state visit by Prince Albert of Monaco saw the King taking his old friend to a cendol stall after a visit to the elephant sanctuary in Kuala Gandah, Pahang. Who would have thought a European prince could be persuaded to sit on a plastic chair in a little stall to eat cendol, even if was a hot day! The royals even sportingly posed with the stall workers.

Those who were in the entourage noticed that Prince Albert tried almost everything that was served to him that day.

As he conducts his duties in the final few weeks as the 16th King, Al-Sultan Abdullah will be remembered not just for being a ceremonial head. He had to face head on Malaysia’s political upheavals that saw prime ministers change four times in four years.

The Covid-19 pandemic that locked the country down for two years beginning in 2020 limited the King’s official trips abroad which are usually a part of his official duties in strengthening Malaysia’s relationships with other countries. Some planned official trips even had to be cancelled simply because there was no time.

Al-Sultan Abdullah’s presence in the federal capital will be missed, as he brought a breath of fresh air to the people by taking the Istana to them. But surely we will still be hearing of him and his relationship with his subjects – after all, in this age of social media, one can easily follow his activities without meeting him in person.

Daulat Tuanku!