Brunei Ruler Gets Royal Invite To Installation Of 14th King Of Malaysia

From Siti Zubaidah Abdullah BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Brunei), March 29 (Bernama) -- Malaysia on Wednesday extended a royal invitation to the Ruler of Brunei Darussalam, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, to attend the installation of the 14th King of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur on April 11. Malaysian Information, Communications and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim presented the invitation to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at an audience at Istana Nurul Iman, here. Dr Rais, who is chairman of the Special Installation Committee, his wife Masnah Rais, and several other members of the committee arrived here Wednesday night on a two-day visit to Brunei Darussalam to deliver the invitation. Ruler of Malaysian Northern State of Kedah, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, will be installed as the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur on April 11. Tuanku Abdul Halim took the oath of office as the 14th King of Malaysia on Dec 13, succeeding Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu (one of east coast states of Malaysia) whose term of office ended a day earlier. After the audience, Dr Rais told Malaysian reporters that various programmes have been drawn up as part of the installation ceremony, many of them of an educational nature to create awareness on the institution of the monarchy. The ministry would record every segment of the installation for this purpose, he said. He also said that all the Malay Rulers, Yang Dipertuas Negeri and heads of diplomatic missions would attend the installation ceremony. Earlier, Dr Rais and his delegation attended a lunch hosted by Brunei's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II Lim Jock Seng at a restaurant. Last night, Malaysia's High Commissioner to Brunei Abdullah Sani Omar hosted a dinner for Dr Rais and his delegation at his official residence here. April 11 has been declared a public holiday in Malaysia in conjunction with the installation. -- BERNAMA