Beauty of nature cannot be replaced once destroyed, says Queen

KUANTAN: The beauty of nature cannot be replaced once it is destroyed no matter how much money is spent to repair the damage, says Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

She said that preserving nature was among the values she taught the Regent of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at a young age, and she was proud of the latter’s strict attitude towards environmental issues.

“I always told (Tengku) Hassanal that you cannot replace nature, no matter how many millions (of money) you have. From a young age, he had to listen to his mother’s pok pek pok pek (nagging) about nature. The beauty of nature cannot be replaced once it is spoiled.

“I am happy and very proud of my son because he has shown me that he makes people realise that nature in Pahang is here to stay. You (Hassanal) may step on many people’s toes and make them angry today, but one day they will understand and this will be your legacy,” Her Majesty said.

Tunku Azizah said this in her speech at the inauguration of the ‘Pahang In Nature’ exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art here.

In her speech, Tunku Azizah also expressed her wish to create a special museum to showcase all the gifts bestowed upon her husband, Al-Sultan Abdullah, during his reign as the King of Malaysia.

Al-Sultan Abdullah was sworn in as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Jan 31, 2019, and his term will end in the next 180 days.

“We could call it Muzium Agong. Everything that we have collected in the last five years will be housed in this museum so that people can see and learn about the work we have done (as the King and Queen of Malaysia),” Her Majesty said.

Tunku Azizah said she would also like to include the gift received by her late father-in-law, Almarhum Sultan Ahmad Shah, who was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1979 to 1984.

Her Majesty also stated that museums hold a special place in her heart as her father used to take her there when she was young.

“I was able to do the same with Hassanal. I do not think my other children like that (going to the museum), unlike Hassanal because he always asked me questions when we were in the museum,” she said.

The ‘Pahang In Nature’ exhibition features 33 paintings produced by local artist Tengku Datuk Marina Tengku Ibrahim, showcasing the uniqueness of the state’s natural beauty. These artworks draw inspiration from Surah al-Rahman’s emphasis on Allah SWT’s blessings, including the creation of nature. – Bernama