By Nadiah Zamlus
SHAH ALAM, June 3 — The Royal Throne (Singgahsana Diraja) at the Balairong Seri of the former Istana Negara stands as a mute witness to many of Malaysia's important historical events, particularly the installation ceremonies of the seventh to the thirteenth Yang di-Pertuan Agongs.
Adorned with hibiscus carvings, the national flower, and heavy clouds, the throne has seven pillars symbolising the seven layers of the sky and the seven layers of the earth.
Made of Chengal wood, it stands at a height of approximately 4.9 metres and a width of 11 meters. The top is inscribed with the opening of Verse 26 from Sura Ali Imran, which emphasizes that only Allah SWT possesses all power and honours whomever He deigns to.
At the bottom of the verse is carved the 15 attributes related to the majesty of Allah SWT, taken from the Asma'ul Husna, or the 99 names of Allah.
The throne's five rows of pillars symbolise the five Rukun Negara principles, while its seven steps signify the position of the throne as the peak of the nation's hierarchy.
In an interview, the Royal Museum's assistant curator Muhammad Nahar Wafi Nasruddin said the term singgahsana was of Sanskrit origin, meaning the seat of a lion.
The lion is considered a symbol of the king of the jungle and is significant in relation to the throne's meaning.
The Royal Throne in the former Istana Negara was first utilised during the installation ceremony of the seventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Sultan of Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah, in July 1980.
Father of the current Sultan of Pahang and incumbent Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, Sultan Ahmad Shah served as sovereign from April 26, 1979, to April 25, 1984.
The most recent Yang di-Pertuan Agong to be installed using the Royal Throne was the Sultan of Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin in December 2006. Subsequently, the installation ceremony was carried out at the present Istana Negara along the former Jalan Duta, now known as Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim.
In addition to installation ceremonies, the throne is also used for the conferment of honorary titles and Federal awards, as well as to celebrate the official Royal Birthday and religious activities.
It was designed by the Public Works Department's senior architect Captain David Wee and does not use any nails, thus combining elements that symbolise the nobility of the Malay Rulers in the country.
Royal Museum director Rohana Husin said the former Istana Negara was first constructed in 1928. With a long and storied history, it was taken over and used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Japanese occupation of Malaya from 1941 to 1945. After the end of World War II, the building was purchased by the Selangor state government.
Following renovations, it was subsequently converted into a palace for the sixth Sultan of Selangor Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah. In 1957, the Federal government purchased the building and made further upgrades for it to serve as the Istana Negara for an independent nation.
"Designed in the European Palladian architectural style, the building underwent several modifications, including the construction of the Balairong Seri to accommodate the Royal Throne in 1980," she said, adding the architecture was influenced by 16th-century Italian architect Andrea Palladio.
The former Istana Negara, along Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar and not far from the banks of Sungai Klang, was eventually converted into the Royal Museum once the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong moved to the current Istana Negara Complex on November 15, 2011.
