Sultan Muhammad V a true friend in deed

KUALA LUMPUR: True friendship to some is more valuable than anything in the world, as it is built upon sincerity.
This sincerity in friendship is one of the many qualities of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V (pix), according to his friend, Datuk Justin Soo.
Soo, who was introduced to Sultan Muhammad V about 15 years ago through one of His Majesty's closest friends, said the king's kind and friendly nature had built a good rapport between them over the years.
Recalling his first encounter with Sultan Muhammad V in 2001 at a hotel here, Soo said they were simply there to enjoy dinner together.
"His Majesty was then the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan. He was so humble and down to earth and easy to approach.
"At the time, I never realised that the person I was talking to was actually the Crown Prince but of course it takes a while, then I realised he was indeed a Crown Prince," he said in an interview with Bernama at his office in Menara K1 here recently.
Soo, 40, the owner of a construction company said he highly appreciated the personality of Sultan Ismail Petra's eldest son, and described him as a king of the people.
"He is a person with integrity and of honesty ... he always does what he preaches. These characteristics make him such a lovely person," said the entrepreneur from Jalan Klang Lama.
Elaborating further on Sultan Muhammad V's sincere friendship, Soo said this was evident when he welcomed his first child, a few years ago.
At the time, he said he had shared his joy with His Majesty via SMS that his wife had given birth to a baby girl.
"Unexpectedly a moment later, he called me and said he was on his way to the hospital to visit my wife and child," he said in a touched tone.
Soo said he had great respect for His Majesty not only because he was approachable and courteous, but he also took care of his prayer time wherever he was.
"Once, His Majesty and I were on our way to Kota Baru ... when it was time for prayers, His Majesty ordered the driver to stop at any of the nearby mosques to pray. He did not choose, he would pray at whichever mosque or surau that was nearby," he said.
On caring for his subjects, Soo said His Majesty had a boat which was used to survey for himself the condition of the people, as well as the areas affected by floods in Kelantan in 2014.
Soo said Sultan Muhammad V's concern was not only the Muslim people, but also the affairs of non-Muslims in Kelantan.
"He is hard to find. What he did was not to get publicity. It all stemmed from his sincerity, he wanted to see for himself the plight of the people at that time, and he wanted to know how they could be helped," he said.
Soo believes, as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V will ensure the development, economic and social progress of the country during his reign, in addition to being an icon to unify the nation's various races.
"I know he has great respect for people regardless of religion and race. To him, we are all Malaysians," he said.
Meanwhile, his cousin, Tengku Rozanna Petri Tengku Mohamed Nasrun said although His Majesty was always seen to be dressed neatly and smartly when meeting the people, Tuanku Muhammad V is a king who loves outdoor and challenging activities.
She said His Majesty is a 'sharp shooter' and loves hunting and four-wheel drive expeditions, apart from having deep interest in religious knowledge and current affairs.
Tengku Rozanna, who studied with Tuanku Muhmmad V in England in the late 80s, said His Majesty also often went go-karting with his relatives who were studying there at the time.
"If he has free time, His Majesty would be with his gadget as he often surfs the Internet to find out the latest developments in the world. His Majesty is very knowledgeable, give him any current topic, and he would know about it," she said.
Touching on his personality, Tengku Rozanna Petri said Tuanku Muhammad V always placed family first, and was very concerned about the fate of the people of Kelantan. — Bernama