Sultan Muhammad V's pleasing and down-to-earth personality endears him to many

The pleasing and down-to-earth personality of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V, endears him to the people from all walks of life.

Four Season Restaurant owner Chan Khek Jun said his failure in setting up a table for Sultan Muhammad V was the most regrettable memory for him since the restaurant began its operations in 1998.

In fact, Chan said the Sultan even apologised for putting him (Chan) in the awkward situation with his unannounced visit to the restaurant when it was packed with customers.

"That day the restaurant was packed, even the VVIP room were not spared. When the Sultan came and found out about it, he left, but not after apologising to me for not making reservation in advance," Chan said this when met at his restaurant in Jalan Sri Cemerlang here recently.

Chan said Sultan Muhammad V began coming to the restaurant in 2000 when he was still the Crown Prince and he did that without protocol, without pre-order, and without requesting for any special table or arrangement.

"Usually, he would come after the Isyak prayers together Tengku Bendahara of Kelantan Tengku Dr Muhammad Faiz Petra (now acting Sultan of Kelantan), members of the royal family and some of his friends," he said.

Chan said when he entered the restaurant, the Sultan, who usually clad in white robe, would say hello and shake hands with other customers in the restaurant.

"Sultan Muhammad V never requested for special utensils such as plate, fork and spoon as he will just use whatever is available in the restaurant," he said.

About His Majesty's preferred dish, Chan said Sultan Muhammad V likes his food to be less oily, less salty and less spicy.

"Therefore, we will use olive oil, reduce the use of salt and pepper in the dishes ordered by His Majesty," he said.

Chan said Sultan Muhammad V also likes fish, such as cod, grouper and sea bass, prepared in steamed-style in soy sauce.

Other popular dishes the Sultan would order are black pepper ostrich, sizzling venison, shrimp cooked in fresh milk, mantou (mini bun), oyster pancake and salted egg spinach and ginger juice as his preferred drink, he said.

Meanwhile, one of Four Seasons Restaurant's employees, Nur Emiezza Mohd Noor, 29, said the experience of taking orders and serve food to Sultan Muhammad V would stay fresh in her memory.

She said whenever Sultan Muhammad V came to dine at the restaurant, she was entrusted by Chan to carry out that responsibility.

"I was nervous at first, but the Sultan's pleasing and down-to-earth personality helped me to gain confidence," she said.

The Sultan was chosen as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Oct 13 last year to replace Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah.

The installation ceremony of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V is scheduled to be held at Istana Negara on April 24.

-- Bernama