Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – October 17, 1994

There is no important matter in the reports. At nine in the morning we went to the Nur Iman Palace for the farewell. In a meeting with the Sultan, I explained some of the areas for cooperation. I emphasized the building sector and investment in building materials and foodstuffs. Iran can supply their import needs faster and cheaper. It was arranged that in the trip of their Foreign Minister to Iran, we would specify the matters.

We passed in front of the row of Brunei's ministers and figures and resident ambassadors who had come to see us off and said goodbye. Before the official ceremony, the anthem, the music, and after we stood on the podium with the Sultan, a travel prayer was recited in Arabic; very detailed and good, starting with "Bismillah majriha wa mursiha" and repeatedly praying for me and divine protection in the journey, and unlike the prayer during the dinner ceremony, their Sultan's name was mentioned less. Then the anthems and music and my review of the guard and the repetition of the anthems and the farewell were carried out.

Overall, they have their own special customs and try, like the great and ancient sultans, for the ceremonies to be in the direction of the Sultan's grandeur. The servants come forward with bent backs and repeated kneeling, and the expressions are all humble. The Sultan speaks very little and his translator explains more.

The special royal affairs are abundant throughout the country. It seems the public treasury is treated like the Sultan's absolute property. The Sultan has two wives with ten children. His father also had ten children. His education is military. He also knows how to fly, but his appearance and tone and manners are not military. He is more interested in sports. They have closed the parliament and dissolved the parties.

They observe the outward forms of religious affairs and Islamic rituals well. In his special helicopter, verses of the Quran with themes of divine protection are installed around it in good calligraphy and golden plaques; including "Bismillah majriha wa mursiha" which relates to Noah's ark in the Quran. The call to prayer and prayer on time and the hijab of the female announcers on television. When leaving the city too, as at the time of entry, they had lined up schoolchildren with Iranian and Bruneian flags on both sides of the street. Accompanied by his brother, the Foreign Minister and the Minister of Religious Affairs, we went to the airport.

Without delay we flew toward Malaysia. We were on the way for two hours. On the way, with Dr. Ali Akbar Velayati and Mehdi and Hossein Marashi and Alireza Moeiri, the President's international advisor, we discussed the matters of the trip and the possible future trip to Morocco, and spoke about the geographical situation of Southeast Asia and the importance of the Malacca Strait.

At twelve-thirty we landed at the Malaysian airport. A special channel was connected to the airplane door. We went to the airport hall. Mr. Mahathir Mohammad, the Prime Minister, and some cabinet ministers had come to welcome. The official reception ceremony is in the square in front of the parliament. Mr. Mahlouji had also come. We left Mr. Mohammad Khan, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, in Brunei to go to Tehran. At the airport, we spoke a little with Mr. Mahathir Mohammad. His wife had also come to welcome Effat. There was no interview.

We moved toward the residence palace. On the way Mr. Mahathir explained about the palm plantations and industry. Palm trees give a good crop mostly up to five degrees on both sides of the equator, and Malaysia has this advantage; it is so economical that they are converting the rubber plantations to palm too. It bears fruit in three years. After breeding improvement it also lives for twenty-five years. About four tons of palm oil are obtained from each hectare and it bears fruit throughout the year; it is mainly in the hands of the private sector.

To the palace we passed everywhere on the highway. There was some talk in the palace too. This place was the residence of the British representative during the colonial era. It is a pleasant place. The sub-city of Kuala Lumpur is entirely tin mines, and due to low profitability and intense competition, they are not very active in the tin industry.

In the afternoon, accompanied by Mr. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, their Foreign Minister, we went to the parliament building for the official reception ceremony. A ceremony was held with the presence of the Sultan in a pleasant square, similar to the Brunei ceremony: the firing of cannons and anthems and the review and repetition of anthems and shaking hands with the ministers and ambassadors.

Then Mr. Tuanku Ja'afar, the Sultan of Malaysia, accompanied me to the residence and there we had some negotiations. He said his position is ceremonial and mostly involves reading reports and signing, and the command-in-chief is also with his signature and not the management of the armed forces' affairs. All afternoon we had intermittent thunder and lightning and rain; they said it is like this every day.

We rested until early evening and at night we went to the dinner banquet in the special palace that was the center of government of the British representative during the colonial era. The introduction of the ministers and ambassadors was carried out. We had some miscellaneous talk. After entering the banquet hall, like Brunei, they recited the table prayer. Our seating place was in front of the throne which had two chairs; for him and his wife. On both sides of me were the King and the Prime Minister of Malaysia. They also played Iranian music. I had questioned both of them thoroughly about their country's situation.

Effat and the children were all simultaneously guests of his wife. They took us with one car and we returned together. Ali, Fati's [son], was also in our car. After dinner, I also greeted his wife. Both are humble; unlike the Sultan of Brunei, they do not put on royal airs. They complain that nothing is in their hands and their position is ceremonial.

Regarding Palestine, their position is agreement with peace, and regarding OPEC, due to the sovereignty of the majority of Arabs, they are not willing to join, and they said they are seeking to create another group outside the oil-owning OPEC; although they did not reject the possibility of joining OPEC. The palace where we are staying is old and its furnishings are worn and it smells of damp. Their manner of welcoming and seeing off is not good; it took a lot of time.