BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Aug 20): The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, departed today for Malaysia after having completed His Majesty’s three-day state visit to Brunei Darussalam.

Sultan Abdullah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, were seen off at the Brunei International Airport by Brunei Crown Prince Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah Ibni Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his consort Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah Pengiran Salleh Ab Rahaman and the Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei, Ismail Salam.

Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and the rest of the Malaysian entourage also accompanied Their Majesties on their return to Malaysia.

A static guard of the Royal Brunei Land Force was in position as the special aircraft carrying Their Majesties took off at about 2pm (same time in Malaysia).

Sultan Abdullah’s state visit, which began on Sunday, was aimed at, among other things, to strengthen the relations between Brunei and Malaysia that stretch over three decades.

Sultan Abdullah’s visit to Brunei is the first state visit by His Majesty following his installation as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on July 30.

The visit also commemorates the historic visit of His Majesty’s late father, Paduka Ayahanda Sultan Ahmad Shah, as the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong to make a state visit to Brunei soon after the sultanate gained its independence in 1984.