Royal affection: The King and the Queen taking selfies with the rakyat after the 66th Merdeka Celebrations in Putrajaya.
PUTRAJAYA: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah set aside protocol to mingle with the crowd during the 66th National Day celebration.
As the King and Queen walked towards their car after the event ended, they made a detour and headed for the crowd, much to the people’s delight.
The public cheered and clapped as Their Majesties walked more than 200m along the Dataran Putrajaya boulevard to meet the crowd. The King and Queen also obliged requests for selfies.
When they heard calls from the public from the opposite side of the road, the King and Queen took a stroll to the other side so that the people could meet them.
This National Day celebrations was the last for Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah, as His Majesty’s reign as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would end on Jan 30.
For Azelan Ishak, the celebration was a memorable experience. The 47-year-old civil servant got to shake hands with royalty.
It was his second time being able to take part in the event with his family.
“Words can’t describe how it felt. Never have I imagined shaking hands with a King,” he said.
“Initially, we saw His Majesty mingling with the crowd opposite us and I was just thinking of what I would do if His Majesty came over to my side of the walkway.
“True enough, he came, extended his hand to the crowds, and I shook it,” he said, adding that he still had goosebumps when recalling the experience.
His wife, Zuraidah Mohd, 46, had the opportunity to shake hands with the Raja Permaisuri Agong.
“In all my years, I’ve never imagined this to happen. It’s a very happy and memorable experience,” she said.
Friends Nurul Hidayah Mustaffa, Nur Nabihah Ismail and Siti Hafizah Shaikh Hamzah, all aged 23, said they were taken aback by Their Majesties’ humble gestures in greeting the people.
“We’ve seen His Majesty make rounds and meet the public before, but we never expected to be just five metres from the King.
“Although we didn’t get to personally greet Their Majesties, it was humbling to see them spend time with the people,” Nurul Hidayah said.
