KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah and Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim graced the evening reception held in conjunction with the 63rd Malaysian International Al-Quran Recitation and Memorisation Assembly (MTHQA) 1445H/2023M at Istana Negara today.
The arrival of Sultan Nazrin and Tuanku Zara was received by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and his wife Datin Seri Aezer Zubin.
Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar and his wife Datin Nik Roslini Raja Ismail.
More than 200 guests, including ‘qari’ (male reciter) and ‘qariah’ (female reciter) who participated in the MTHQA, judges, and organisers from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), attended the reception.
Sultan Nazrin and Tuanku Zara also posed for photographs with guests at the event. The royal couple also presented certificates and souvenirs to the panel of judges.
MTHQA which will be held today and tomorrow at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre involves two competitions, namely Quran recitation and memorisation.
This year’s edition features 76 participants from 52 countries, namely 24 men and 12 women for the recitation category and 27 men and 13 women for the memorisation category.
Among the participating countries are Ivory Cost, Ethiopia, Slovenia, Jordan, Qatar, Netherlands, Canada and Turki.
Malaysia has four representatives, namely visually impaired ‘qari’ Muhammad Qayyim Nizar Sarimi from Kelantan and ‘qariah’ Nor Hidayah Abd Rahman from Terengganu for the recitation category, while Ahmad Ikmal Mohd Ridhuan from Johor and Dian Karisma Mohd Japar from Sabah will be taking part in the memorisation contest. -Bernama
