Nazrin cuts out fun or party time for enthronement

Culture and customs take pride of place in May ceremonies for 35th Sultan of Perak.

KUALA KANGSAR: The enthronement ceremony of Sultan Nazrin Shah as 35th Sultan of Perak is not an occasion for fun or partying but to nurture courtesy, customs and culture among the people, the sultan said today.

Sultan Nazrin said he was very sensitive about expenditure on the ceremony and at every briefing he had reminded enthronement committee members to avoid any elements of luxury and self glorification.

“This ceremony is conducted to remind the people of the state’s history and civilisation based on its customs.

“As the Sultan chosen by this assembly, I am obliged to fulfil my responsibility to nurture these decorum and customs that have been passed down for generations from the first Sultan of Perak,” he said at the opening of the 163rd Perak state legislative assembly sitting here.

He said every state had its own customs on moral behaviour, conduct, benevolence, politeness, civility and humanity.

“The progress of a nation depends on citizens who practice high discipline, praiseworthy morals, civilised and courteous towards the state and respect for the icon of national sovereignty,” he said.

Sultan Nazrin said his enthronement was held with the objective of revisiting the state’s courtesy and customs so that the spirit of nationalism was understood and appreciated by the people.

“The enthroned ruler holds a main role in connecting tradition with modernisation, reviving history and its great civilisation which is built by practising a culture that is full of the richness of history, refinement of manners and language as a basis to develop a state and its people that are discipline, modern and progressive,” he said.

He said this was increasingly relevant as the people were now facing all kinds of cultural subversion and cultural sabotage.

The enthronement ceremony was an occasion that must be held together to enhance the people’s esteem and from being poisoned by undesirable elements besides allowing the sultan to be closer to the people of Perak, who were from various economic and social strata, religions and races, he said.

He said the enthronement ceremony would begin with the “meletak kerja” ceremony on May 3 and “menutup kerja” ceremony on May 17.

– BERNAMA