SULTAN OF SELANGOR WELCOMED THE PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA TO LAUNCH BOOK ON ANCIENT AND ANTIQUATED MAPS OF THE MALAY PENINSULA AND BORNEO AT CONCORDE HOTEL IN KUALA LUMPUR

KEE@FSWMAG.COM
The book 'Maps of Malaya and Borneo; Discovery, Statehood and Progress' was launched by the Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the presence of His Royal Highness the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and His Highness the Crown Prince of Perak, YTM Raja Dr Nazrin Shah Sultan Azlan Shah.

The launch was held in Concorde Grand ballroom in Kuala Lumpur. 

Datuk Johari Tun Abdul Razak, the brother of the Malaysian Prime Minister chatting with HRH Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor

Datuk Seri Razman Hashim, Kelvin Ong, Datuk Johari Tun Abdul Razak and HRH Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor

The Sultan of Selangor, guest and Tan Sri Syed Yusuf Tun Syed Nasir

Kelvin Ong, Datuk Johari Tun Abdul Razak, Sultan of Selangor and Datuk Seri Razman Hashim

The Sultan of Selangor chatting with VIPs

HH The Regent of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah Sultan Azlan Shah, Datuk Johari Tun Razak and Datuk Seri Razman Hashim

His Highness The Crown Prince of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah Sultan Azlan Shah smiling for my Leica, Datuk Johari Tun Razak and Datuk Seri Razman Hashim

The man of the hour Datuk Richard Curtis chatting with YAM Tengku Sulaiman Shah Sultan Salahuddin, the brother of Sultan of Selangor

The Sultan of Selangor welcoming guest of honour the Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Tan Sri Syed Yusuf Tun Syed Nasir

The VIPs

Raja Nazrin Shah Sultan Azlan Shah with Prime Minister of Malaysia. The Perak Crown Prince said, "How are you, Mr Prime Minister?"

The Prime Minister joked "Your right hand man is also here," referring to his brother Datuk Johari Tun Razak

Billionaire B.S Ong making a face

The VIPs on stage; Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, HRH Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor, HH Raja Dr Nazrin Shah Sultan Azlan Shah the Crown Prince of Perak and author of book Maps of Malaya and Borneo Datuk Richard Curtis

Datuk Richard Curtis thanking the Sultan of Selangor for loaning his collection of ancient maps and manuscripts for the book

American Cliff Fournier

The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Sultan of Selangor and Crown Prince of Perak

Datuk Richard Curtis making his speech and thanking his old friend the Sultan of Selangor whom he knew aged 8 as they played together in the palace and Prime Minister

The Prime Minister of Malaysia thanked the Sultan of Selangor for allowing his maps to be used for the book

The Sultan of Selangor and Crown Prince of Perak listening intently to the Prime Minister's speech

The Prime Minister was impressed about the concept of the book

The Sultan of Selangor and Crown Prince of Perak listening intently to the Prime Minister

Hundreds attended the launch and were seated according to their rank as Royalty, Tan Sri, Datuk Seri and Datuk and since I am a Living Divinity and there was so such allocation I stood meekly at the back with the peasants

The Prime Minister said the book was much anticipated by both scholars and laymen

The moment we were waiting for---the launch of the book by the Prime Minister of Malaysia in the presence of the Sultan of Selangor

All ready to launch 'Maps of Malaya and Borneo; Discovery, Statehood and Progress

The Prime Minister touched the globe...

Which the lit up like the moon! Glowing and glowering!

The quartet then moved towards another giant blue globe which opened like an oyster to reveal the book

The dry ice gave a dramatic effect

The Prime Minister viewing the book

The Prime Minister is a strong man as the book weighs 3 or 4 kg and even I had to struggle with my copy despite my extreme youth and vitality

Datuk Richard Curtis explaining some details

I am so impressed our Prime Minister could hold the tome with one hand and balanced it so well. I would have asked my servants to hold for me

The Prime Minister flipping the pages

Datuk Richard Curtis was very intense and passionate about his book

The PM was impressed too and so was everyone

The Sultan of Selangor presented this autographed, personalised book to the Prime Minister

The Crown Prince of Perak was given a book too

The Sultan of Selangor leading his guests to view the maps on display

Datuk B.S Ong and Hans Isaac

The daughter of the Sultan of Selangor YAM Tengku Datin Paduka Zatashah Sultan Idris Shah and French husband Datuk Aubry Rahim Mennesson

I thought the Selangor princess was holding a miniature version of the book but she told me it was a handbag designed as a book by an Italian Contessa. How apt for a book launch!

3 Tan Sris and 1 Datuk; Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng, Tan Sri Jason Goh, Tan Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay and Datuk B.S Ong

VIPs chatting

The French ambassador Her Excellency Martine Dorance greeting Tan Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay

Datuk B.S Ong, Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng and Tan Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay

YAM Tengku Sulaiman Shah Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah

YAM Tengku Sulaiman Shah Sultan Salahuddin

YAM Tunku Zainal Abidin Tuanku Muhriz, second son of the Ruler of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir