His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday afternoon granted an audience to Dato' Seri Utama Dr Rais bin Yatim, Minister of Information, Communications and Culture, Malaysia, and concurrently the Chairman of Special Coronation Committee.

During the audience ceremony at the Istana Nurul Iman, His Majesty received a message from the delegation.

Malaysia has extended a royal invitation to His Majesty to attend the installation of the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong in Kuala Lumpur on April 11, Bernama reported.

Dato' Dr Rais, his wife Datin Seri Utama Masnah Rais and several other members of the committee arrived Tuesday night on a two-day visit to Brunei Darussalam to deliver the invitation.

The Sultan of Kedah, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, will be installed as the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur on April 11.

Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah took the oath of office as the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Dec 13, succeeding Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu whose term of office ended a day earlier.

After the audience, Dato' Dr Rais told Malaysian reporters that various programmes have been drawn up as part of the installation ceremony, many of them of an educational nature to create awareness on the institution of the monarchy.

The ministry would record every segment of the installation for this purpose, he said.

He also said that all the Malay Rulers, Yang Dipertuas Negeri and heads of diplomatic mission would attend the installation ceremony.

Earlier, Dato' Dr Rais and his delegation attended a lunch hosted by Brunei's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Awg Lim Jock Seng at a restaurant.

On Tuesday night, Malaysia's High Commissioner to Brunei Dato' Abdullah Sani Omar hosted a dinner for Dato' Dr Rais and his delegation at his official residence.

April 11 has been declared a public holiday in Malaysia in conjunction with the installation.

Present during the audience were YAM Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar; Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdullah bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, Minister of Communications; YAM Pengiran Penggawa Laila Bentara Istiadat Diraja Dalam Istana Pengiran Haji Alauddin bin Pengiran Paduka Tuan Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar; and Pengiran Haji Abdul Haris bin Pengiran Haji Shabudin, Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office.

Meanwhile the delegation from Malaysia included Dato' Abdullah Sani bin Omar, High Commissioner of Malaysia to Brunei Darussalam; Dato' Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, Keeper of the Ruler's Seal; Dato' Othman Haji Madmod, Deputy Senior Secretary General, Prime Minister's Office Malaysia; Dato' Wan Hamidah Wan Ibrahim, Division Secretary, Customs and International Conference Secretariat Division, Prime Minister's Office; and Encik Azwan Effendy Zairakithnaini, Acting Datuk Paduka Maharaja Lela, Istana Negara. - Borneo Bulletin (29 March 2012)