Installation of new king on April 11, public holiday declared

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan of Kedah, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, is to be installed as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on April 11, and the date, a Wednesday, will be a national public holiday.

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan said two main events would be held on that date - the installation ceremony in the morning and the royal banquet at night, both at the Istana Negara. He said the declaration of the public holiday is made under Section 8 of the Holidays Act 1951 for peninsular Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Labuan. "Sabah and Sarawak will do the necessary in accordance with their respective state laws," he said in a statement.

Tuanku Abdul Halim, 84, was appointed the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Dec 13 last year to succeed Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu whose five-year term as the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong ended a day earlier. This is Tuanku Abdul Halim's second reign as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong under a system of rotation among the nine Malay Rulers. He was also the fifth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, reigning from 1970 to 1975.

-Bernama.