Christine Leong
Supporters from all walks of life and from all races, as well as the Orang Asli, gathered at the Pelangi Driving Range as early as 11.30am.
Many were seen with banners and flags preparing for the 1.45 pm march to the Istana Pasir Pelangi.
A press conference started at 1.30 pm with the representatives from various non-governmental organizations gave a short speech of encouragement to all who were present.
According to the representatives, eighty NGOs had come to show their support. It was speculated that the crowd gathered there numbered 15,000 strong.
At exactly 1.45 pm the crowd started walking towards the Istana, which was about 200 meters away. As they marched they chanted ‘Daulat Tuanku’ all the way to the Istana. Traffic and police personnel were on hand to oversee a safe and peaceful parade.
At the Istana grounds scores of buses were seen parked idly, these buses had earlier discharged their passengers who were from various states of the peninsula. The crowd was heard chanting ‘Daulat Tuanku’ as they made their way to the steps of the Istana.
Fourteen prominent NGOs were called to gather on the staircase to show their support to the sultan. The event started with the Johor State anthem, followed by a prayer, before the people presented the sultan with three huge banners of signatures collected earlier.
The Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar and the Johor princes was there to greet the crowd.
The Sultan expressed that he was touched by the overwhelming support of his subjects. He reminded the people that ‘without the people there will be no king’.
He stressed that the people must also strive to remain united.
He then unveiled his Proton Satria Neo with the registration number WWW1.
The event was organised by the Johor Umno Youth to have the people show their support for the sultan. The event was held as a protest against Perak PAS deputy commissioner Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin for allegedly questioning the Sultan’s successful RM520,000 bid for the WWW1 car registration number.
The Johor Umno Youth head, Mohd Fadil Maskon, was previously reported as having said that more than 300 NGOs were expected to participate in the “Loyalty Pledge” gathering. The gathering would have Jincluded members of Barisan Nasional component parties.
This was done to express the people’s readiness to check any attempt to belittle the institution of the monarchy.
Among the crowd present was Rubiah Binti Sulong, 50, who had come by bus from Kampung Parit Sulong, Batu Pahat, with forty of her Orang Asli people, to show their loyalty to the sultan.
Also present was Hamimah Binti Md Said, a committee member of the Pesatuan Melayu Anak-Anak Johor, who came with a bus load of members from Selangor and the Wilayah Persekutuan.
Businesswoman Regina Teh came with two curious friends who have never met the sultan. She said she wants to show her support because the sultan takes care of his subjects.
Representatives from the five clans of the Tiong Hua Associations, namely the Teo Chew, Hainan, Cantonese, Hokkien and Hakka were there to show their support. The clan members who came totaled one thousand.
The parade ended peacefully at about 3.30 pm.
Video to follow.
Representative from the fourteen NGOs
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