KUALA KANGSAR: The installation ceremony of Sultan Dr Nazrin Shah (pic) as the 35th Sultan of Perak is to be neither a fiesta nor an excuse to indulge in extravagance.

Instead, he said, it should be a ceremony steeped in culture.

“I keep emphasising the need to steer clear from spending lavishly on the ceremony when its purpose is to revisit our nation’s history.

“As the appointed Sultan, it is my responsibility to preserve the customs and culture that were handed down from generation to generation since the time of the state’s first Ruler,” he said when chairing the 163rd Perak Dewan Negara meeting here yesterday.

He said the progress of a nation depended on having citizens who were disciplined, had exemplary morals, and were courteous and respected its sovereignty.

“Hence, the installation ceremony should be carried out with the objective of revisiting our civility and customs to encourage the spirit of nationalism,” he said.

The Ruler said the numerous events to be held between May 3 and 17 to mark his installation as Sultan would allow him to be closer to his subjects, regardless of race, religion or social strata.

“Of late, actions of disrespecting customs have become increasingly obvious by those ignorant of our nation’s history; people who are uncivilised with a refugee-minded culture.

“Our civilisation is too precious to be robbed and destroyed by rude and uncivilised individuals and organisations such as them.

“The installation ceremony, then, will be an occasion to prevent them from being poisoned by undesirable elements,” he added.