Sultan Muhammad V, a people's king

In the two years Sultan Muhammad V served as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, His Majesty left an indelible mark due to his love for the people, humility and sense of humour.

Sultan Muhammad V, who was born on Oct 6, 1969, at Istana Batu, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, ascended to the Kelantan throne on Sept 13, 2010.

During his reign as the Sultan of Kelantan, His Highness often visited the villages in each district in the state to get closer to the people, especially during flood disasters, which the East Coast state is prone to.

His easy-going nature continued even though he became King and His Majesty was known for his spontaneity, and his “sila duduk jangan lari” (sit do not run) quip to MPs in the Dewan Rakyat last year will be one that will be remembered for the ages.

Sultan Muhammad V, who took his oath of office as Yang di-Pertuan Agong XV on Dec 13, 2016, was installed as King on April 24, 2017, also marked another milestone in that he was head of state of two governments, under Barisan Nasional when he was installed and then Pakatan Harapan, which won the 14th general election on May 9, 2018.

Sultan Muhammad V received his early education at Sekolah Sultan Ismail I, Kota Bharu, before continuing his studies at the Kuala Lumpur International School. At 16, he was appointed Tengku Mahkota Kelantan and on May 24, 2009, was made Regent of Kelantan.

Among the historic events which took place during his reign were granting an audience to the heir of the British throne Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, at Istana Negara and granting a full pardon to then PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, which led to his immediate release from prison. Anwar was serving a five-year sentence for sodomy.

Apart from that, Sultan Muhammad V also showed great interest in and paid attention to the field of education. As the Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM), he attended every convocation organised by the universities.

Besides being Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces by virtue of his position as the King, His Majesty was also honoured as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Artillery Regiment due to his leadership quality in military affairs.

He also involved himself in various charitable organisations, apart from taking an active role in various other bodies related to security and military, as well as extreme sports like four-wheel drive expeditions and sports like equestrian, archery and shooting. He also loved wildlife conservation.

Sultan Muhammad V is also well known as a wise ruler, gentle in speech and courteous, having been instilled with these moral values based on religious teachings and world knowledge since childhood.

- Bernama