Taib alights from the Hornbill Skyways jet – followed by Raghad, Dayang Morliah and Awang Tengah behind him.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Sarawak Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and his wife Toh Puan Raghad Kurdi Taib arrived here yesterday to attend the royal banquet to commemorate the golden jubilee of Sultan of Brunei’s ascension to the throne.
The two were accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and his wife Datuk Dayang Morliah Awang Daud.
According to event organizers, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte would be among the Southeast Asian leaders attending the royal banquet.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah ascended to the throne on Oct 5, 1967. At the age of 71, he is touted as the world’s second oldest reigning monarch, behind Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II who ascended to the throne in 1952.
The Queen became the world’s longest-serving monarch a year ago following the death of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, whose reign spanned seven decades.