TANJUNG MALIM: The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah today said Rulers should be provided with the best advice possible on the reality that was occurring and the aspiration of the majority of the people so that the royal institution can appreciate the current aspiration.
He said that by presenting reality, the Rulers could take appropriate action including making innovations so that they would not be considered as an old mirror but instead remained relevant.
“Instead, the institution should be retained and continue to be appreciated as an institution that has a role and is functional, and recognised as being dynamic and energetic besides being able to develop tradition in the modernisation era,” he said.
Sultan Nazrin disclosed this when launching the Seminar on Perak Sultanate, Exhibition on the Malaysian Royal Institution and the launching of the book by Awang Had Salleh: Legenda Pendidikan Global Malaysia at the National Education Museum, Kampus Sultan Abdul Jalil, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, here today.
In his speech entitled ‘Menelusuri Jambatan Penghubung Raja dan Rakyat’, Sultan Nazrin directed seminar participants to challenge and move their mind to cross the new boundary when discussing the topic on the sultanate.
“A more contemporary and relevant approach should be explored in the aspiration to inculcate knowledge, understanding, appreciation of the people especially the young generation regarding a traditional institution which gives identity to the Malaysian government and nation,” he said.
In addition, Sultan Nazrin said understanding and appreciation of the royal institution must be popularised because failure to do so would result in the institution becoming elitist, moving among the aristocrats and academic elitists.
Sultan Nazrin also drew attention when analysing the lyrics of the chorus of the “lagu tiga kupang” (eng: Song of Thirty Cents) which went “Raja dalam rumah buat kira-kira, suri dalam rumah makan roti gula” (eng: The king is in the house (He is) calculating, The queen is in the house (She is) eating sugar bread’).
“The lyrics of the song contained an educational message to enable students to know and appreciate the Ruler,” said Sultan Nazrin.
— BERNAMA
