KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaesuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah graced the Royal Islamic Affairs Premier Forum at Istana Negara, tonight.
The forum titled "Royal Institution Uniting the Ummah" was organised by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) and Istana Negara to enhance the understanding and foster the belief that the royal institution was a symbol of uniting the ummah within a diverse and varied community.
More than 400 people attended the forum at Istana Negara which lasted for one hour and 30 minutes and was also broadcast live on TV1 Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM).
Also present were Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Dr Johari Abdul, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar along with the government's top leadership, including Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain.
Among other things, the forum discussed the vital role played by the Malay Rulers in being the pillars of Islamic strength and uniting the people in Malaysia.
It featured Ustaz Zakaria Othman from Jakim as the moderator along with three panelists, namely Deputy Mufti of Pahang Datuk Badli Shah Alaudin, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Izhar Ariff Mohd Kashi and Universiti Malaya lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Sharifah Hayaati Syed Ismail.
The panelists also discussed Al-Sultan Abdullah's wisdom in steering the country during the Covid-19 pandemic and the political uncertainties resulting from the occurrence of a hung parliament after the 15th General Election, which proved the importance of the royal institution in the governance of the country.
After the forum ended at 10.30 pm, Their Majesties mingled and dined with the guests before leaving the ceremony. -- Bernama