Royal Regalia of Malaysia
Encyclopedia
The Royal Regalia of Malaysia includes all the items which are deemed sacred and symbolic of the supremacy and authority of His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong
or King of Malaysia and his consort, the Raja Permaisuri Agong
The installation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is a very special ceremony. Only on this particular day are the masses able to see His Majesty's symbols of reign.
’s Balairong Seri (Throne Room) is crafted and structured to blend motifs from the peninsula
as well as Sabah
and Sarawak
.
The motifs are coloured gold, to add regality and an imperial aura to the throne, and all the designs point upwards to indicate that all beings are created by Allah
.
, Sultan Muzaffar Shah I Ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Shah (1528 - 1549) set sail to Perak
to form the Perak Sultanate. Sultan Muzaffar was a descendant of the Malacca Sultanate
which was then exiled in Johor
by the Portuguese
. He carried on his ship many of the royal regalia of the Malacca Sultanate, including the Royal Crown of Malacca.
However, during his journey, his ship entered shallow waters and was stuck. The only way to get the ship sailing again was by reducing the ship load. So one by one the many items of the ships were thrown into sea but the ship refused to budge. Until finally the only thing left to throw into sea was the Royal Crown of Malacca. The sea was happy with the offering of the Royal Crown because immediately after that the ship miraculously set sail on its own to Perak
.
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The Sultan seeing the miracle as a sign swore that he and his descendants would never wear a crown as Sultans or never be crowned during their installation. This practice came to be followed by the Malay Sultans of the other states. Therefore, the Malay head-dress known as Tengkolok came to be the replacement for a crown.
For centuries Malay Rulers have worn head-dresses as part of their regalia. They have been wearing head-dresses made of embroidered silk folded in different styles since the days of the Malay Sultanate. The style of folding is called solek and there are various styles depending on the tradition of the royal family of the particular state. The colour of the head-dress varies from one state to another.
The royal head-dress worn by His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong
during his installation is made of black fabric embroidered with gold thread. It is folded in the style called Dendam Tak Sudah which originated from Negeri Sembilan. Affixed at the front of the headwear is a crescent-shaped ornament and a 14-pointed star. At the centre of the star is the crest of the Malaysian Government
.
. Originally the Muskat was worn by government officials of Kedah
.
The Muskat was first worn in 1960, at the installation of the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong
, Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail
. It was the brainchild of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-haj
, Malaysia’s first prime minister, who was a prince from the Kedah
royal house.
The Muskat is made of black wool embroidered with gold threads, in the pattern of the hibiscus
, Malaysia’s national flower. The dress is worn with headgear and embroided long pants, at ceremonies to mark the King’s installation, birthday, official visits to the states and during the opening of the Parliament sitting.
. The keris is among the Royal Regalia worn by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. There are two – the Keris Pendek di-Raja and Keris Panjang di-Raja.
bird. The Federation Crest
is embossed on the crosspiece of the sheath. It can only be carried or worn by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
.
and that of the eleven states of Peninsula Malaysia. Its blade was forged from steel taken from eleven keris from the eleven states. The hilt of the keris is in the form of a horse’s hoof with decorations resembling the "jering" fruit. This keris is worn by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on certain occasions only.
during royal ceremonies and on the day of installation.
The Gendik is made of platinum and studded with diamonds. It is so designed that it can be separated to form a locket and two brooches.
The Payung Uburubur Kuning (royal umbrella) are 20 in number and made of silver. Yellow symbolises royalty and is reserved for royal usage. At the top of the Royal Umbrella is an 11-pointed star and crescent.
Tombak Berambu, also 20 in number, have blades with three curved indentations. They are made from ancient spears from the 11 states of peninsular Malaysia.
The word nobat originates from the Persian word “naubat” which means nine types of instruments. Currently, only Terengganu
, Kedah
, Perak
and Selangor
have a nobat ensemble each, with different instrumentation by state.
There will be six musical instruments used – the gendang negara or large drum, gendang ibu, gendang anak, serunai (flute/clarinet), nafiri or trumpet and caklempong (small gong). A velvet covered regalia piece like a mace or sceptre, Nahara drums and a mounted gong is used in the Kedah ensemble, Perak and Selangor have the same instrumentation and the Terengganu ensemble includes not only the flute, medium drums and trumpet but the Gendang Negara/Saku kettle drum and a set of clash cymbals.
During the installation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Nobat will play the PaluPalu Melayu tune as the royal regalia is being brought into the Balairong Seri (throne room). The other songs to be played would be Iskandar, Ibrahim Khalil and Seri Istana.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
or King of Malaysia and his consort, the Raja Permaisuri Agong
Raja Permaisuri Agong
Raja Permaisuri Agong, or in full, Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong, is the title given to the Queen of Malaysia, consort of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.The holders of this office have been:...
The installation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is a very special ceremony. Only on this particular day are the masses able to see His Majesty's symbols of reign.
The Throne
The throne at Istana NegaraIstana Negara
Istana Negara is the official residence of His Majesty, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. It stands on a 13 acre site, located at a commanding position on the slope of a hill of Bukit Petaling overlooking the Klang River, along Jalan Syed Putra.Another royal residence of the Yang di-Pertuan...
’s Balairong Seri (Throne Room) is crafted and structured to blend motifs from the peninsula
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
as well as Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
and Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
.
The motifs are coloured gold, to add regality and an imperial aura to the throne, and all the designs point upwards to indicate that all beings are created by Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
.
Tengkolok Diraja (Royal Headdress)
According to Malay legend, the first Sultan of PerakSultan of Perak
Sultan of Perak is one of the oldest hereditary seats among the Malay states.When the Sultanate of Malacca empire fell to Portugal in 1511, Sultan Mahmud Syah I retreated to Kampar, Sumatra and died there in 1528. He left behind two princes named Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II and Sultan Muzaffar...
, Sultan Muzaffar Shah I Ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Shah (1528 - 1549) set sail to Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
to form the Perak Sultanate. Sultan Muzaffar was a descendant of the Malacca Sultanate
Malacca Sultanate
Established by the Malay ruler Parameswara, the Sultanate of Malacca was first a Hindu kingdom in 1402 and later became Muslim following the marriage of the princess of Pasai in 1409. Centered in the modern town of Malacca, the sultanate bordered the Ayutthaya Kingdom of Siam in the north to...
which was then exiled in Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
by the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. He carried on his ship many of the royal regalia of the Malacca Sultanate, including the Royal Crown of Malacca.
However, during his journey, his ship entered shallow waters and was stuck. The only way to get the ship sailing again was by reducing the ship load. So one by one the many items of the ships were thrown into sea but the ship refused to budge. Until finally the only thing left to throw into sea was the Royal Crown of Malacca. The sea was happy with the offering of the Royal Crown because immediately after that the ship miraculously set sail on its own to Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
.
For centuries Malay Rulers have worn head-dresses as part of their regalia. They have been wearing head-dresses made of embroidered silk folded in different styles since the days of the Malay Sultanate. The style of folding is called solek and there are various styles depending on the tradition of the royal family of the particular state. The colour of the head-dress varies from one state to another.
The royal head-dress worn by His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
during his installation is made of black fabric embroidered with gold thread. It is folded in the style called Dendam Tak Sudah which originated from Negeri Sembilan. Affixed at the front of the headwear is a crescent-shaped ornament and a 14-pointed star. At the centre of the star is the crest of the Malaysian Government
Emblem of Malaysia
The Coat of Arms of Malaysia is a coat of arms comprising a shield or escutcheon, two tigers for supporters, a crescent and fourteen point star for a crest and a motto)...
.
Royal Attire, Muskat
The royal attire of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for the installation ceremony is the Muskat- the King’s Royal Dress. The origin of the Muskat can be traced to the ancient kingdom of Muscat, present day OmanOman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
. Originally the Muskat was worn by government officials of Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
.
The Muskat was first worn in 1960, at the installation of the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
, Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail
Tuanku Syed Putra
Raja Syed Putra ibni Syed Hassan Jamalullail, KCMG was the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya, and later of Malaysia , and sixth Raja of Perlis from 1945 to 2000....
. It was the brainchild of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-haj
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, AC, CH was Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya from 1955, and the country's first Prime Minister from independence in 1957. He remained as the Prime Minister after Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined the...
, Malaysia’s first prime minister, who was a prince from the Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
royal house.
The Muskat is made of black wool embroidered with gold threads, in the pattern of the hibiscus
Hibiscus
Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world...
, Malaysia’s national flower. The dress is worn with headgear and embroided long pants, at ceremonies to mark the King’s installation, birthday, official visits to the states and during the opening of the Parliament sitting.
Royal Buckle
The Pending or Royal Buckle is made of pure gold and decorated with 11 rubies. There is an engraved centrepiece featuring the Federation Crest. The belt is made of heavy ribbed silk and embroidered with floral motifs in gold thread.Royal Keris
The most revered item in the Malay royal regalia is the kerisKris
The kris or keris is an asymmetrical dagger or sword nowadays most strongly associated with the culture of Indonesia, but also indigenous to Malaysia, Southern Thailand and Brunei. It is known as kalis in the southern Philippines. The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade , but many have...
. The keris is among the Royal Regalia worn by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. There are two – the Keris Pendek di-Raja and Keris Panjang di-Raja.
Keris Pendek di-Raja
Keris Pendek di-Raja or Royal Short Keris is the short keris made from the steel blades of older keris. It has an ivory hilt and gold-decorated sheath. The hilt is called Hulu Pekaka and shaped like the head of the legendary GarudaGaruda
The Garuda is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.From an Indian perspective, Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila and...
bird. The Federation Crest
Emblem of Malaysia
The Coat of Arms of Malaysia is a coat of arms comprising a shield or escutcheon, two tigers for supporters, a crescent and fourteen point star for a crest and a motto)...
is embossed on the crosspiece of the sheath. It can only be carried or worn by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
.
Keris Panjang di-Raja
The Keris Panjang di-Raja is the most important symbol of authority during installation ceremonies. The Keris Panjang Diraja is the Keris of the Government symbolising power and authority. Both its hilt and sheath are covered with gold. The crosspiece of the keris is engraved with the crest of the Federal GovernmentEmblem of Malaysia
The Coat of Arms of Malaysia is a coat of arms comprising a shield or escutcheon, two tigers for supporters, a crescent and fourteen point star for a crest and a motto)...
and that of the eleven states of Peninsula Malaysia. Its blade was forged from steel taken from eleven keris from the eleven states. The hilt of the keris is in the form of a horse’s hoof with decorations resembling the "jering" fruit. This keris is worn by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on certain occasions only.
Gendik di-Raja (Royal Tiara)
The Gendik di-Raja or Royal Tiara is worn by the Raja Permaisuri AgongRaja Permaisuri Agong
Raja Permaisuri Agong, or in full, Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong, is the title given to the Queen of Malaysia, consort of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.The holders of this office have been:...
during royal ceremonies and on the day of installation.
The Gendik is made of platinum and studded with diamonds. It is so designed that it can be separated to form a locket and two brooches.
Kalung di-Raja (Royal Necklace)
The Kalung di-Raja or Royal Necklace is made of platinum and studded with diamonds. The kalung can be separated into a pair of earrings, brooches and kerabu (ornament for the ears).Cogan Alam
The Cogan Alam (Sceptre of the Universe) is part of the Royal Regalia. This silver mace symbolises power and is 162.66cm long. It consists of an orb mounted on a long shaft. The orb has a crescent and an 11-pointed gold star sitting on it. Around the centre of the orb, the crests of the 11 states of Malaya are embossed in gold. The orb is supported by four tigers while the shaft itself is decorated with six padi stalks carved in gold.Cogan Agama
The 155.04cm long Cogan Agama (Sceptre of Religion) is also made of silver. It consists of a large conical-shaped head with a golden five-pointed star mounted on a long shaft. Verses from the Quran are embossed on the head and shaft.Cokmar
The Cokmar, or War Clubs, is another symbol of power and part of the panoply of authority of the Malaysian Government. The Cokmar are two in number and made of silver. Each is 81.32cm long and consists of a circular, fluted orb made of plain silver and mounted on a short shaft, also made of silver.Other Regalia
The other Royal Regalia are the Pedang di-Raja (Royal Sword), and Sundang di-Raja (royal swordkeris). The Pedang and Sundang are traditional Malay weapons that have become symbols of royalty. They have silver-gilt hilts and sheaths.The Payung Uburubur Kuning (royal umbrella) are 20 in number and made of silver. Yellow symbolises royalty and is reserved for royal usage. At the top of the Royal Umbrella is an 11-pointed star and crescent.
Tombak Berambu, also 20 in number, have blades with three curved indentations. They are made from ancient spears from the 11 states of peninsular Malaysia.
Nobat
The Nobat or Royal Musical Ensemble is a form of traditional Malay music. It is considered as part of the royal regalia. The Nobat only plays on special occasions like the installation of the Sultan or King and his birthday.The word nobat originates from the Persian word “naubat” which means nine types of instruments. Currently, only Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
, Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
, Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
and Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
have a nobat ensemble each, with different instrumentation by state.
There will be six musical instruments used – the gendang negara or large drum, gendang ibu, gendang anak, serunai (flute/clarinet), nafiri or trumpet and caklempong (small gong). A velvet covered regalia piece like a mace or sceptre, Nahara drums and a mounted gong is used in the Kedah ensemble, Perak and Selangor have the same instrumentation and the Terengganu ensemble includes not only the flute, medium drums and trumpet but the Gendang Negara/Saku kettle drum and a set of clash cymbals.
During the installation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Nobat will play the PaluPalu Melayu tune as the royal regalia is being brought into the Balairong Seri (throne room). The other songs to be played would be Iskandar, Ibrahim Khalil and Seri Istana.