Latest news with #Johorean
The Star
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Royal regalia reflect cultural legacy
HIS Majesty Sultan Ibrahim may now serve as King of Malaysia but his Johorean roots remain firmly woven into royal protocols, attire and traditions that set him apart from his predecessors. In Malay royal traditions, regalia are not just ornaments but 'instruments of authority' and symbols that convey a Ruler's source of power and sovereign rule. Johor Council of Royal Court president Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Ramli said each Malay Ruler has his own set of regalia reflecting the customs of his state. 'Royal regalia are instruments of authority, meaning that they exhibit the source of power of the Ruler. Each state Ruler has his own regalia, including Sultan Ibrahim, as His Majesty is also the Johor Ruler. 'However, there are subtle differences between his state regalia and that of the federal throne as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,' he told The Star in an interview. As the King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim's official ceremonial dress is known as the Muskat, complete with a royal headdress, buckle and short dagger, which are part of the royal regalia. The Muskat is a long, black robe adorned with golden embroidery and its design is inspired by the traditional outfits of the people of Oman and Kedah's baju sikap – the official dress of the state officials. His Majesty often dons the uniform of the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces at official events, reflecting his military background. — Photos from Sultan Ibrahim's official Facebook page The King also wears a royal headdress known as Tengkolok Diraja, made of black songket embroidered with gold thread, complete with a royal buckle and keris. Affixed at the front of the royal headdress is a platinum ornament in the shape of a crescent and a 14-pointed star with Malaysia's coat of arms in the centre. Abdul Rahim pointed out that there are subtle contrasts between federal and Johorean royal traditions in attire. 'Although His Majesty's forefather Sultan Abu Bakar designed the baju Melayu teluk belanga, that attire is not used as the official ceremonial uniform. 'With Johor being a modern state, Sultan Ibrahim wears a tunic and military cap. His Majesty also carries a sword instead of a keris due to his military background,' he explained. As the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Sultan Ibrahim is also often seen wearing a variation of ceremonial dress representing different branches of the army, police or the Johor Military Forces, complete with berets. In terms of royal regalia, there are similarities and differences in the federal and state instruments. The royal regalia of the Agong includes two royal sceptres known as Cogan Alam (Sceptre of the Universe) and Cogan Agama (Sceptre of Religion). Cogan Alam, a silver mace measuring 162.66cm, is headed with an orb on which a crescent and a 11-pointed star made of gold are surmounted, symbolising Islam as the main religion of the country. The orb is decorated with the crests of the 11 states in the peninsula. These are also made of gold and supported by four tigers symbolising national bravery. The shaft features six stalks of paddy carved in gold. Meanwhile, the Cogan Agama is 155.04cm long and made of silver. The item consists of a large, conical head with a five-pointed star made of gold mounted on a long shaft. Quranic verses are embossed on the headshaft. Abdul Rahim noted that Johor's royal regalia also includes the Sceptre of Universe, marked by a crescent and star symbolising Islam, while the Sceptre of Religion has a head shaped like a betel leaf with the names of Allah and Prophet Muhammad written in Jawi. 'One key distinction since Sultan Ibrahim ascended the federal throne is the use of royal umbrellas. Previously, the kings were shaded with a yellow umbrella during ceremonies and the inspection of guards. 'But since Tuanku became Agong, this practice has stopped. In Johor, royal umbrellas are always closed as His Majesty feels that an unfurled umbrella creates distance between the Ruler and the people. He wants the people to feel close to him, true to the saying of rakyat dan raja berpisah tiada (the people and the king are inseparable),' he added. In another departure from conventional federal protocol, the practice of angkat sembah, where both palms are held together at the forehead to salute or greet the king, is no longer done. 'A simple bow is sufficient,' said Abdul Rahim, citing a long-standing Johor tradition that avoids hand clasping. Other differences can be seen in the royal court music – Istana Negara uses nobat while Johor relies on its military brass band for ceremonies and royal functions, another reflection of its modern roots. Even colour schemes at the federal palace have changed since Sultan Ibrahim's reign. Previously, yellow was the dominant colour at Istana Negara as it is traditionally linked to royalty. 'In Johor, blue is associated with the royal family as it reflects the colours of the state flag. Now, the carpets at the palace in the capital city have been changed to blue in a firm nod to Johor's identity,' he said. As someone who has served five generations of the Johor royal family – from Sultan Ismail to the present Raja Muda of Johor Tunku Iskandar (first son of Johor Regent Tunku Ismail) – Abdul Rahim said Sultan Ibrahim ensures Johor's traits are maintained even when His Majesty is the King. 'These are subtle but meaningful differences,' he added. While the regalia and royal customs may differ between federal and state, what remains constant is His Majesty's love for Johor and commitment to serving the people, both as their state Ruler and as King of Malaysia.
The Star
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Playing in front of local supporters brings smile back to Tze Yong's face
KUALA LUMPUR: The smile is back for men's singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong after going through a tough time. Last year, the 25-year-old thought his badminton career was over when he was struggling with a persistent back injury. Tze Yong suffered the injury in the Malaysian Open first round against Japan's Koki Watanabe at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil. After undergoing two surgeries, the Johorean still could not shake off the issue. Tze Yong though painstakingly underwent rehab and managed to recover and will be making his first appearance at home in the same venue in the Malaysian Masters today. In his element: A cheerful Tze Yong during a training session. —AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star. He will face Hong Kong's world No. 21 Angus Ng Ka Long in the first round. Tze Yong is happy to be playing in front of the home fans again after coming close to giving up on the sport. 'It was a very difficult time for me last year as I was struggling to recover from my back injury,' said Tze Yong. 'Playing badminton is my passion but there were times when I thought my career was over. 'After two surgeries, the injury still did not heal and I was feeling confused. 'After undergoing rehab for a year, I slowly recovered and could compete again. It feels good to get to play at home again after quite long.' Tze Yong was forced to miss last year's Malaysian Masters and the home Open in January due to his injury. He shared that singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen's support helped him with his recovery and return to tournaments. Jonassen joined the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in January. 'The coach trusts me a lot. When I was injured, he gave me lots of support,' said Tze Yong. 'He helped to ease the pressure on me and thanks to him, I could focus on my rehab without worrying too much about my future.' Tze Yong made his competitive return at the Asian Championships last month in Ningbo, China, and also played in the Taiwan and Thailand Opens. He lost in the first round in the three events and is hoping to get his first win to revive his career. 'I'm not feeling any pain anymore and my movement on court is getting better, so this is a positive for me although I lost all my matches so far,' said Tze Yong. 'For now, I'm looking at progressing in each match rather than only the results. 'I feel if I can win one match, it will boost my confidence and I can regain my old form faster. 'Against Angus, I'm the underdog but I will go all out to try to win.' Meanwhile, Tze Yong's teammates Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh will also open their respective campaigns today against Ireland's Nhat Nguyen and Japan's Kodai Naraoka respectively.
The Star
15-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Jonassen stays upbeat despite Tze Yong's early exits
Tough luck: Ng Tze Yong lost 13-21, 17-21 to China's Weng Hongyang in the first round of the Thailand Open. PETALING JAYA: Three first round defeats in a row but singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen is staying positive about shuttler Ng Tze Yong. Tze Yong is still searching for his first win in the men's singles after making his competitive return from a serious back injury last month. The Johorean, who turns 25 today, went down 13-21, 17-21 to China's world No. 15 Weng Hongyang in the Thailand Open first round at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok on Wednesday. Tze Yong also lost in the opening round in the Asian Championships and Taiwan Open to Thailand's reigning world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn and homester Wang Po-wei respectively. While others might see Tze Yong's defeats as cause for concern, Jonassen is remaining calm and believes that his charge is slowly getting up to speed with high level badminton again after more than a year on the sidelines. 'Tze Yong really got up to speed in the second game (against Hongyang) which was important and he played some good attacking and aggressive badminton. This is something we can build on,' said Jonassen. 'I see positives but of course it is very important to put everything in perspective after each match. Small steps towards a better understanding of how he needs to approach each match.' Jonassen had also stressed that Tze Yong will not be rushed into getting back his best form but instead, will be given time to get used to competing again. 'We will do it step by step and not rush to desperately get short term gains. We will have a long term mindset to secure the best possible outcome. 'It will still take time to get back to his very best but we all believe in the process and plan.' Tze Yong will next compete in the Malaysian Masters starting on Tuesday at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil. He will be returning to the Axiata Arena for the first time since injuring his lower back in the same venue during the Malaysian Open in January last year. Tze Yong has been drawn to face Hong Kong's world No. 17 Angus Ng Ka Long in the first round. Meanwhile, world No. 45 Justin Hoh also fell short in his bid to reach the second round in Thailand when he lost 19-21, 16-21 to India's world No. 53 Tharun Mannepalli. World No. 48 independent player Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin, who was the only Malaysian in the men's singles to make it into the second round, battled hard against China's world No. 14 Lu Guangzu, before going down 21-18, 16-21, 14-21 in 69 minutes.
The Star
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Badminton: Tze Yong's struggles continue with early Thailand Open exit
PETALING JAYA: Men's singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong's wait for a first victory this year continues after he suffered another early exit, this time at the Thailand Open on Wednesday (May 14). The Johorean, who was hoping to make a breakthrough in Bangkok, went down to world No. 15 Weng Hongyang of China in the opening round at the Nimibutr Stadium, losing 13-21, 17-21 in 49mins. Despite being up against a higher-ranked opponent, the 24-year-old was hoping to make a positive breakthrough but never quite found his rhythm and fell short once again. It was his third consecutive first-round defeat since returning to action at the Asian Championships in Ningbo early last month. Tze Yong had previously spent a long spell on the sidelines due to a recurring back injury, which required multiple procedures and an extended recovery period. Now ranked No. 305 in the world, Tze Yong will be hoping to turn things around at the Malaysia Open next week, where he is scheduled to face Hong Kong's Angus Ng Ka Long in the first round.
New Straits Times
13-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
A chance for Justin to be Malaysia's leading man
KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Justin Hoh has a chance to stake his claim as Malaysia's next leading man after booking a spot in the main draw of the Thailand Open on Tuesday. The world No. 45 will be eager to build on his strong performance at the Taiwan Open last week, where he advanced to the quarter-finals Justin took a step in the right direction by defeating India's world No. 44 S. Ayush to secure his place in the first round of the Thailand Open. He won in straight games, 21-14, 22-20 in 39 minutes during the second qualifying round at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok. The 21-year-old is set to face India's world No. 53 M. Tharun in the opening round on Wednesday. With Leong Jun Hao sidelined by an elbow injury, the Thailand Open provides the perfect platform for Justin to shine. Ng Tze Yong, who has a protected world ranking of No. 18, will take on China's world No. 11 Weng Hong Yang in the first round but the Johorean is still working to regain his rhythm following a back injury that kept him out of action for nearly 14 months. A strong showing in Thailand could provide Justin with the confidence that he needs to perform in front of a home crowd at the Malaysia Masters next week. World No. 48 Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin staged a gritty comeback to defeat Japan's world No. 47 Riku Hatano 18-21, 21-16, 21-17 to reach the main draw. Aidil will face China's world No. 32 Wang Zheng Xing in the first round. In the women's singles, K. Letshanaa had earlier received a morale boost after climbing to a career-high world ranking of No. 47. She then received a walkover in the first qualifying round following the withdrawal of compatriot S. Kisona. However, the 21-year-old was brought back down to earth by Thailand's world No. 48 Tidapron Kleebyeesun who defeated her 21-12, 22-20 in the second qualifying round. In the men's doubles, professional pair Chia Wei Jie-Lwi Sheng Hao bowed out early, losing to Taiwan's Lu Ching Yao-Wei Chun Wei 21-17, 21-18 in the first qualifying round.
