KLANG, Oct 24 —The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, today graced a Royal Tea Reception attended by 1,500 retirees, investors and civil servants in conjunction with the Silver Jubilee celebration of his reign at Istana Alam Shah here. 

Also in attendance were the Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, and the Raja Muda of Selangor, Tengku Amir Shah. 

Upon arrival, their Royal Highnesses were received by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, and State Secretary Datuk Dr Ahmad Fadzli Ahmad Tajuddin. 

The Royal Tea Reception was the final of five events organised to mark the celebration. 

At the event, Sultan Sharafuddin also launched the ‘Lakaran Indah Institusi Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Selangor’ book. 

Meanwhile, Selangor Public Service Commission chairman Datuk Haris Kasim, in his address, said Nov 22, 2001 was a historic date as it was the day Sultan Sharafuddin was proclaimed the ninth Sultan of Selangor. 

“Over the past 25 years, Selangor has continued to progress as a dynamic, prosperous and competitive state, with Your Royal Highness remaining the guardian of the state’s sovereignty, a symbol of unity among the people and a pillar of stability for the Selangor Sultanate. 

“Your Royal Highness’s decrees, advice and views on upholding the sanctity of Islam, harmony among the multiracial community and the well-being of the people have always served as a guiding principle for the state administration,” he said. 

He said the strength of the civil service depended greatly on the quality, competence and integrity of its human capital. He therefore reminded himself and the Selangor civil servants to take the Sultan’s decrees and advice as a guide in discharging their responsibilities to the state and its people. 

“An outstanding civil servant is not judged solely by efficiency in carrying out duties, but also by their character, honesty in upholding the trust placed in them, courtesy in delivering services and dedication to safeguarding the people’s interests,” he said. 

Haris said Sultan Sharafuddin has a special place in the hearts of the state’s civil servants because the Sultan had served in the public sector before ascending the throne. 

“His Royal Highness had served at the Selangor State Secretary’s Office, the Kuala Lumpur District Office and the Royal Malaysia Police in Kuala Lumpur, giving him first-hand exposure to the intricacies of government administration and the responsibilities involved in serving the people. 

“His Royal Highness’s emphasis on integrity, efficiency, discipline and good governance reflects the values shaped by his experience in the civil service,” he said. 

On the launch of ‘Lakaran Indah Institusi Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Selangor’, Haris said the book was an important effort to document history, trace the development of the state administration and record the contributions of 32 individuals who had served as State Secretary across different eras and amid various state development challenges. 

“This book not only chronicles the leadership of those who came before us, but also serves as a tribute to their service, sacrifices and legacy of excellence in the state administration. It also enriches our repository of knowledge and provides guidance for future generations of civil servants,” he said. 

He said the book is expected to inspire current generations of state administrators to remember the contributions of their predecessors and carry forward their legacy of dedicated public service under the reign of Sultan Sharafuddin. — Bernama