State welcome for King Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud

KUALA LUMPUR: Saudi Arabia ruler King Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud was accorded a state welcome in a ceremony held in Parliament Square, soon after his arrival at Bunga Raya Complex, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, for a four-day state visit.
King Salman arrived in a motorcade at Parliament grounds at around 11.50am, accompanied by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak who had earlier received him at Bunga Raya Complex.
The ceremony was also graced with the presence of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V.
The tunes of Negaraku and As-Salam Al-Malakiyy, the national anthem of Saudi Arabia, were played by the Central Band of the Royal Malay Regiment as soon as the leaders made their way to the royal dais.
King Salman was also honoured with a 21-gun salute soon after.
The Arab's monarch then inspected the Guard-of-Honour by the First Batallion of the Royal Malay Regiment consisting of 103 servicemen and four officers, led by Major Azlan Shah Baharum.
Another tune of Negaraku was played by the central band before all leaders left the dais, marking the end of the ceremony.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, cabinet ministers and delegates from Saudi Arabia.
Malaysia is the first destination in King Salman's visit to Southeast Asia since his ascension to the Saudi Arabian throne in 2015.
The last time Malaysia had received an official visit from the kingdom's leader was in 2006 by the late King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Saud.