Family of six remains sanguine to meet the King despite heavy rain

KOTA KINABALU - A 30-minute heavy downpour did not deter the spirit of a family waiting for the arrival of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Billah Shah, at the Sabah State Syariah Court Complex on Wednesday.

According to a resident of Kampung Likas here, Noraini Maslan, 30, she and her four children, along with her aunt, have been waiting outside the court grounds since 2pm awaiting the arrival of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"I am excited and happy; maybe this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment to see the Yang di-Pertuan Agong again in Sabah.

"We have been here since 2pm before the rain, and even now that it is raining, we are still waiting and hopeful to meet the Agong," she said when met by Sinar Harian on Wednesday.

She also said that she wanted her children to see the King close-up, even if they had to stand on the side of the road.

"My children, aged between four and 11 years old, are also excited, and they themselves want to see Tuanku more closely.

"They are willing to wait even though it's raining because they want to meet the King himself," he said.

Before that, His Majesty left to inaugurate the court complex, which was among the programmes he attended on the 'Get to Know Borneo Tour', which entered its fourth day.

The Sabah State Syariah Court Complex was completed on July 22, 2021, and its construction involved a four-story building.

This building includes the hearing hall of the Syariah Court of Appeal, two hearing halls of the High Court of Syariah, three hearing halls of the Lower Syariah Court, the Syariah Judge's chambers, administrative offices, officers' rooms, a sulh room, an information technology room, a library, a surau, a cafeteria, and kindergarten children.

It was designed taking into account the seismic requirements that work to withstand tremors such as earthquakes, while the front of this complex building is decorated with carvings of local motifs as well as domes that symbolise Islamic prayer.

In addition, this complex also provides special facilities for pedestrians and parking for people with disabilities (OKU).