King defers birthday celebrations over COVID pandemic

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has decreed that events and celebrations in conjunction with His Majesty's 62nd birthday on July 30 be postponed in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pahang State Secretary Datuk Seri Dr Sallehuddin Ishak said Al-Sultan Abdullah, who is the Sultan of Pahang, said exemption is given only for organising thanksgiving ceremonies and prayers, and that these should be done virtually.

"His Majesty also decreed that no congratulatory messages in conjunction with His Majesty's birthday should be published in the print media or on billboards.

"Instead, this can be done online on the websites of departments and companies or any medium that does not involve any cost," he said in a statement here today.

Sallehuddin said His Majesty also decreed that the allocations for the publication of congratulatory messages should be channelled to the COVID-19 fund set up by the government to help the people affected by the pandemic.

-- BERNAMA