Aidil Adha Celebration all over the nation

Muslims nationwide celebrated Aidiladha today on a moderate scale and in appreciation of sacrifice as required by Islamic teachings. Aidiladha is of great significance for Muslims worldwide and is celebrated in memory of the sacrifice made by the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail in obeying Allah. Fine weather in the morning enabled Muslims to perform their prayers comfortably, followed by the sacrificial offerings carried out at mosques, villages and housing estates. The Meteorological Department has, however, forecast isolated rain and thunderstorms in several states later in the day. This year, Aidiladha fell on the holy day of Friday and Muslims congregated again at mosques for the Friday prayers.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah joined millions of Muslims from around the world in performing the Haj this year.

In KELANTAN, Sultan Muhammad V performed prayers with about 5,000 people at the Muhammadi Mosque in Kota Baharu, led by the Grand Imam, Mohamad Hanafizi Abdullah, of the Kelantan Islamic Affairs and Malay Customs Council.

In TERENGGANU, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin performed prayers with more than a 1,000 people at the Al-Muktafi Billah Shah Mosque in Ladang, Kuala Terengganu. He was accompanied by other members of the royal family and Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said.

In PERAK, the Regent of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, and Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir joined about 1,000 people for the prayers at the Abu Bakar As-Siddiq Mosque at the General Operations Force Camp in Ulu Kinta. Raja Dr Nazrin Shah is also scheduled to officially open the Hidayatul Ummah Mosque in Kota Lama Kiri, Kuala Kangsar, and join the congregation there for the Friday prayers.

The state government organised annual sacrificial offering programme 'Korban Perdana' managed to collect RM1.17 million from various state agencies and statutory bodies. The funds were used to buy livestock for sacrifice at state and district level.

In PAHANG, the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, and the Tengku Puan of Pahang, Tengku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Sultan Iskandar, joined about 2,000 people who congregated at the Sultan Haji Ahmad 1 State Mosque. Also present were Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob, state executive councillors and government officers. The prayers were led by Pahang Mufti Datuk Abdul Rahman Osman.

In SELANGOR, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah performed prayers with about 20,000 people at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque. Also present was Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. The mosque's Grand Imam, Ustaz Ahmad Mustafa Mohd Sidin Al-Muqri, led the prayers. The congregation also included foreign Muslim students from the Al-Madinah International University and foreign workers.



In NEGERI SEMBILAN, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, joined about 500 people for prayers at the Tuanku Munawir Royal Mosque in Seri Menanti. He was accompanied by the Tunku Ampuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Aishah Rohani Binti Tengku Besar Mahmud and several other members of the royal family. Their Majesties then attended a 'tahlil' ceremony at the Seri Menanti Royal Mausoleum. Tuanku Muhriz also attended the sacrificial offering ceremony at the mosque.

In MELAKA, Governor Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob joined a congregation of about 7,000 for prayers at the Al-Azim Mosque in Melaka city. Also present was Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam. The state-sponsored sacrificial offering of 19 cows would be held at the mosque tomorrow.

In PULAU PINANG, the Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas performed the Aidiladha prayers at the Masjid Haji Abdullah Fahim in Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang. Also present was the Former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

In SABAH, Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin joined about 5,000 people for prayers at the State Mosque in Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu. Also present were community leaders and heads of state and federal government departments.

In SARAWAK, Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng and wife, Toh Puah Rokiah Abdullah performed the Aidiladha prayers at the Masjid Jamek Kuching. Also present were Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and wife, Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib, and other Sarawak cabinet ministers.

Sabah State Investiture Ceremony

The State of Sabah yesterday celebrated the 59th Birthday Celebration of the Yang Dipertua Negeri (Head of State) of Sabah, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin. In conjunction with the birthday celebration, an investiture ceremony was held at Istana Negeri where 905 recipients were enlist to receive the state honorary medal and title. The first in the list was the wife of the Yang Dipertua Negeri, Toh Puan Norlidah RM Jasni who received the order of 'Seri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (SPDK)' that carries the title 'Datuk Seri Panglima'. She is one of two recipients received the order, where the other one was Chief Secretary to the Government, Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa. 

A total of 55 people are awarded the Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK) which carries the title 'Datuk'. They are Kundasang state assemblyman Dr Joachim Gunsalam, Lumadan state assemblyman Kamarlin Ombi, Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ab Aziz Kasim, Sabah branch Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) director Dr Abdul Kadir Rosline, Sabah Housebuyers Claim Tribunal president Ahmad Sedik, Sabah Umno Youth chief Awang Kadin Tang, Parti Bersatu Sabah assist secretary-general Daniel Kinsik, Korperasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD) director-general Datu Basrun Datu Mansur, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib, permanent secretary of Industrial Development Ministry Hashim Paijan, singer John Gaisah (posthumous), Sabah Wildlife Department director Laurentius Nayan Ambu, the father of the Yang Dipertua Negeri, Mahiruddin Hussin, Sabah Immigration director Mohamad Mentek, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah, veteran politician Onn Ariffin, Tenom Wanita Umno chief Datin Rahmah Jan Sulaiman Khan and treasurer of Sabah Bumiputera Chamber of Commerce, Roselan Johar Mohamed.

Other PGDK recipients are New Straits Times Press group managing editor Abdul Jalil Abdul Hamid, Dr Amin Senin, Anthony Koshy, Basra Abdul Rahman, Major (K) Chin Kee Yong @ Peter, Chu Fui Khin @ William Chu, Ganesh Nandy A/L BB Nandy, Glen Reynolds, Hsieh Yang Vui, Jangson Boijol @ Jackson Alexius, Jerry WA Dusing @ Jerry W. Patel, John Lo Thau Fah, Juhari Haron, Juil Nuatim, Reverend Bishop Bersara Julius Dusin Gitom, Liew Siew Kian, Lim Tiong Chai, Ling Nga Ming @ Mary Ling, Mary E Dupanggol @ Aminah Ambrose, Mary Theresa Kinajil, Mohamad Farid Linggi, Dr Mohd Yusof Ibrahim, Rosmadi Ismail, Salleh Janan, Shah Headan Ayoob Hussain Shah, Sim Men Kin @ Andrew Sim, Dr Soo Thian Lian, Sulaiman Omar, Thien Sin Min @ Peter, Ting Huat Kiing, Wee Kok Hui, Wong Kian Kheong, Wong Tuck Wai, Yong Foo San, Yong Soo Pin @ Yong Su Ping, Yusoff HM Haniff and Zulkifli Jaafar.

Kota Kinabalu Mayor Datuk Abdidin Madingkir lead the Justice of Peace (JP) list of nine people. The others are Sabah Puteri Umno chief Musliati Moslimin, Sabah Umno Youth deputy chief Md Joh Wid, Chin Tai Kong, Dirih @ Sebatian Anjim, Datuk Irmohizam Ibrahim, Jane Manjaji @ Marilyn, Lee Pong Choi and Lim Thein Phin @ Kevin. Among the 69 recipients of Ahli Setia Darjah Kinabalu (ASDK) are Sabah Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) bureau chief Newmond Tibin, Sabah Information Department director Almain Ajirul, Sabah Special Affairs Department director Abdul Manap Lakariba, popular singer Abu Bakar Ellah and former national football striker Hasan Sani.

Among the recipients of the Ahli Darjah Kinabalu (ADK) are Sabah bodybuilder Aricco Jumith and former Sabah bodybuilding champion Justine Sompong. Media practitioners who will receive the Bintang Setia Kinabalu (BSK) are Carolyn Maurice (Chief Minister's Department), Bernama stringer Ismail Lamo, New Sabah Times journalist Marryan Razan, Utusan Borneo journalist Siti Aisyah Narudin and Zaidi Jamin (Sabah Information Department).

Tuanku Abdul Halim arrived in Kuala Lumpur

Their Majesties Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah arrived home Friday after a five-day state visit to Japan. Their majesties arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport's (KLIA) Bunga Raya Complex, here, at 6.45pm. Also present to receive them was Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung.

The King and Queen's programme while in Japan included visiting Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, attending the state banquet, receiving Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and wife Hitomi Noda and meeting the Malaysian community at a dinner function. The visit was at the invitation of Emperor Akihito to give the opportunity for both heads of state to strengthen their personal ties and friendship formed since Emperor Akihito's visit to Malaysia in 1970 as the Crown Prince of Japan. At that time, Tuanku Abdul Halim was the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Also in the royal entourage were Tunku Temenggong of Kedah Tan Sri Tunku Sallehuddin ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, Toh Puan Temenggong of Kedah Puan Sri Tengku Maliha Tengku Ariff and Tunku Panglima Besar of Kedah Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, with Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin as the accompanying minister.

Farewell Aundience with the Emperor and Empress

Their Majesties the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah concluded their five-day state visit to Japan Friday and departed Tokyo for Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Datuk Shaharuddin Md Som and his wife, Datin Norasikin Hashim, as well as Malaysian embassy officials were present at the Haneda International Airport to bid farewell to Their Majesties.

The royal entourage included the Tunku Temenggong of Kedah, Tan Sri Tunku Sallehuddin ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, Toh Puan Temenggong of Kedah Puan Sri Tengku Maliha Tengku Ariff and Tunku Panglima Besar of Kedah Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Tuanku Alhaj Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah.

Earlier, Tuanku Abdul Halim and Tuanku Hajah Haminah had a farewell audience with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan at the Akasaka Guest Palace here. Also present was Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who is the minister-in-attendance.

The Supreme Ruler visited the Tokyo Skytree Tower

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah, who began a five-day state visit to Japan Monday, visited the Tokyo Skytree Tower Tuesday. Their Majesties were greeted upon arrival at the tower by the president of Tobu Tower Skytree Co Ltd, Michiaki Suzuki.

The royal couple then took a ride on a high-speed (600 metres per second) elevator to the observatory deck on the 350th floor of the needle-shaped structure. The observatory deck or Tembo Deck offers a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view of the city of Tokyo. Their Majesties then took another elevator ride to the 450-metre-high Tembo Gallery. Dubbed the 'world's highest skywalk', the Tembo Gallery consists of a sloping spiral ramp that gains height as it circles the tower.

The Tokyo Skytree Tower or Tokyo Sukaitsuri, which serves as a broadcast tower for television and radio and also serves as a tourist attraction, is recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's tallest tower, standing at a height of 634 metres. Opened on May 22 this year, it replaces the 333-metre-tall Tokyo Tower, a symbol of Japan's capital city since 1958, as the broadcast hub. Operated by Tobu Tower Skytree Co Ltd, the tower has seismic proofing, including a central shaft made of reinforced concrete. Other facilities located here are shops, restaurants, a university campus and an aquarium.

In the afternoon, Tuanku Abdul Halim attended a luncheon organised by five economic associations, namely the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Japan Business Federation, Japan Association of Corporate Executives, Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) and Japan-Malaysia Business Corporation Committee.