Written by Salmie Shokordey
Today marks the day for the coronation of the country’s new sovereign, His Majesty Sultan Kelantan Sultan Muhammad as the 15th Yang Di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) of Malaysia for five years term. Sultan Muhammad V previously took the oath on 13th December 2016 after being elected as the YDPA during a special meeting of the Conference of Rulers to replace the succession of 14th YDPA Sultan Kedah, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah. His Majesty is the youngest YDPA in history coroneted as YDPA at the age of 47.
Sultan Muhammad V was born on 6th October 1969 and was the first son of four children of Sultan Ismail Petra Ibni Almarhum Sultan Yahya Petra and Tengku Anis Tengku Abdul Hamid. His three siblings are Tengku Mahkota Kelantan Tengku Dr Muhammad Faiz Petra, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra and Tengku Amalin A’ishah Putri. His Majesty was addressed as Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra before he officially took the appellation, ‘Sultan Muhammad the fifth’ reigned from his royal ancestors. His official cars also took the tittle Muhammad 5 in Arabic form as the plate number.
Sultan Muhammad V was crowned as the Tengku Mahkota (Crown Prince) of Kelantan on 6th October, 1985 at the age of 16 years old. He was 42 years old when he ascended the throne as the 29th Sultan of Kelantan in 12 December 2010 and is the second Sultan of Kelantan who ascend to the YDPA throne after his grandfather, Sultan Yahya Petra Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim Petra who was the sixth YDPA in 1975 to 1979. He also served as the Deputy Yang Di-Pertuan Agong since 12 December 2011 before he was proclaimed as the YDPA.
Sultan Muhammad V received his primary education from Sekolah Sultan Ismail 1 in Kota Bharu, secondary education at Alice Smith International School in Kuala Lumpur. He then went to the Oakham School in Rutland England in 1989. After that, he took Diplomatic Studies at St. Cross College, Oxford and Islamic Studies at Oxford Centre from 1989 until 1991. He then continued with Diplomatic Studies and Business Administration at Huron University College, London. He also went to Deutsche Stiftung Internationale Entwicklung Berlin to study further on diplomatic relations and later took up European Business Administration at European Business School London.
Sultan Muhammad V was well known for his down to earth and humble personality by addressing himself as ‘ambo’ (Kelantan pronunciation for Me) when he went to ground to meet and greets the rakyat (people). He was also known for his concern for the welfare of rakyat that he put aside his title as a Sultan to be with Rakyat. On the Internet, shared photo of His Majesty, went down to the grave hole to assist for a funeral is a usual thing. He even drove his four-wheels by himself to meet people during Kelantan massive flood in 2014 especially in the remote area of Kelantan in Gua Musang and Jeli. He was known for his sincere concern for his people’s welfare without the media attention, and sometimes his appearance were not escorted by the police of security.
His Majesty is also significant to the ‘cool and simple’ personality for he was always seen to wear a plain jubbah (robe) with kopiah (skullcap) and Baju Melayu (Traditional Malay attire) or sometimes even wear a plain ‘pelikat’ or sarong. He was also popular on the Internet for being the Sultan who simply wore a crocs sandals while walking down the yellow carpet.
His people-centric monarch approach also were being praised by the people when he envisioned the Program Walkathon D’Raja Kelantan, walking with the monarch members that set a record of 21,111 participants in the Malaysia Book of Record in 2011. To bring rakyat closer to the royal institution, he also initiated the program ‘Qiam with me’ held during Ramadhan (the Holy month for Muslim). The program made it to the Malaysian Book of Record for 6,000 people participating at Kubang Kerian Palace in August 2012. Both programmes are included in the Kelantan tourism calendar and serve as tourism event in the Kelantan.
He took the matter of religion seriously that he changed the call of ‘Daulat Tuanku’ (Long Live the King) to Allahuakbar (Allah the Almighty) so God will bless those who pronounce it. He even requested for the sound system in Masjid Sultan Muhammad II, Telipot to be connected to his palace next to the mosque so that Adzan can echo inside the palace. The distance were only 100 metre away sometimes he even walk to the mosque and spends time at the mosque for any religious event. He always made a surprise appearance at the mosque during prayer time by only wearing plain T-shirt and pant which makes him a king without very much protocol.
Apart from that, he is also the patron of Yayasan Sultan Kelantan that helps the unfortunate, Colonel In Chief of the Royal Artillery Regiment and was once the Brigadier General Commander of the 506 Territorial Army. He was appointed as the fifth Chancellor of UiTM of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) during the university’s 86th convocation ceremony on 16th April 2017. His installation as the YDPA was very much awaited and appreciated by the people across the nation. As postgraduates of UiTM, we from the In Press team are proud for having Sultan Muhammad V as our Chancellor and YDPA.
Our highest congratulations and best wishes from In Press Global to His Majesty KDYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang-DiPertuan Agong XV Sultan Muhammad V on the coronation as the 15th Yang Dipertuan Agong. Daulat Tuanku.
Source and credit: News @ Asia One, The Star, Bernama & Astro Awani