Limited to 30 characters... the story of the highest honor in Malaysia, which Al-Sisi received

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On Saturday, the King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim, awarded Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi the Dargah Utama Sri Mahkota Negara Medal, known as the Supreme Crown of State Medal, during a state visit to the capital, Kuala Lumpur, in a move that reflects the level of distinguished relations between the two countries and places Sisi among a limited elite of foreign leaders who have received this high honor.

The awarding ceremony of the medal was held at the Malaysian National Palace “Istana Negara” in Kuala Lumpur, following an official reception for Sisi, which included the playing of the two countries’ national anthems, a parade of the guard of honor, and the firing of 21 artillery shots.

The Malaysian King also held an official luncheon in honor of the Egyptian President and his accompanying delegation, while Sisi received the medal during a special ceremony held in the “Diwan Sri Maharaja” hall inside the palace, in the presence of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and a number of senior officials and ministers.

While the official spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency confirmed that this medal is the highest federal medal in Malaysia, and embodies the depth of the historical relations between Cairo and Kuala Lumpur, and also expresses the appreciation of the Malaysian leadership to the Egyptian President.

The visit is of special importance because it is the first visit by an Egyptian president to Malaysia in nearly 30 years, as the last visit at this level was by former President Hosni Mubarak in November 1997 to participate in the G15 summit, according to the Malaysian news agency “Bernama”.

The visit also witnessed an enhancement of bilateral cooperation, as the two sides signed 4 memorandums of understanding in the areas of women’s empowerment, higher education, tourism and investment.

The importance of the “Supreme Crown of State” medal stems from its rarity and high status in the Malaysian medal system, as it is usually awarded to kings and new rulers of Malaysian states, in addition to a limited number of heads of state and prominent foreign figures.

Its establishment dates back to 1958, and the number of its members is limited to only 30 members, including up to 15 foreign kings, heads of state, or distinguished international figures, according to the official website of the Malaysian National Palace.

The medal also consists of a necklace bearing the emblems of the Malaysian states, a star, a scarf, and a badge in the shape of a five-pointed star.

While he ranks second among Malaysian federal decorations after the Royal Family Medal, according to the Protocol Division of the Prime Minister.

In a joint press conference with Anwar Ibrahim, Sisi expressed his appreciation to the King and Prime Minister of Malaysia for this honor, stressing that the medal reflects the extent of appreciation that exists between the two countries.

During his meeting with Sultan Ibrahim, he also praised the level of cultural and scientific cooperation between the two countries, especially the role played by Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in Malaysia, extending an official invitation to the king to visit Egypt.

For his part, the Malaysian King appreciated the role played by Egypt in supporting security and stability in the Middle East region, stressing the importance of continuing political coordination between the two countries on regional and international issues.

It is noteworthy that in recent years, Malaysia has awarded this honorary medal to a number of foreign leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2022, and Prince Albert II of Monaco in 2023, as part of official state visits to the country, according to the Malaysian newspaper “Malay Mail”.

Sisi's visit to Malaysia comes as part of an Asian tour that began in South Korea and also includes Indonesia.