YANG di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah graced the official opening of the 15th parliament’s first meeting of its second session in Kuala Lumpur today.

Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah was also in attendance.

Their Majesties arrived at Dataran Parlimen at 10am and were greeted by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Also present were Anwar’s deputies Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Fadillah Yusof, Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul, and Dewan Negara president Rais Yatim.

The king and queen were ushered to the royal stage to receive a royal salute mounted by the first battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment.

The royal flag was then hoisted, accompanied by a 21-gun salute and the national anthem “Negaraku”, before the Agong inspected the guard of honour.

After the ceremony ended, the king and queen were led to the royal room at the parliament building for refreshments and then to the Dewan Rakyat to deliver the royal address.

According to the parliament calendar, the Dewan Rakyat will sit from today to March 30, while the Dewan Negara will sit from March 21 to April 6.

Anwar, who is also finance minister, is scheduled to table Budget 2023 on February 24. – Bernama, February 13, 2023.