From the little I know of Malaysian royalty, I believe it has been more than 25 years since a Malaysian king passed away in office. Although I did bump into royalties once in awhile growing up in Johor Baru, usually I could not be bothered with their lives and demises (except for the holiday that usually came with the latter). But this royalty was different.

Al-Marhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah was the best king I had known. It's true when I read elsewhere today that His late Highness was not much into protocol I experienced this myself.

Last year at Masjid Negara, long after many had gone back after Friday prayers, I was in deep conversation with an old acquaintance when suddenly a familiar-looking man approached, greeted us and shook our hands and started a small conversation by giving salam and asking "apa khabar?". He was to my surprise the Agong himself.

The Agong truly had the rakyat in his heart. I remember a few years back, His Highness appeared several times on TV to give off-the-cuff advice to the state administration of then (Mentri Besar) Muhammad Muhammad Taib, to think of the rakyat and the environment when approving development projects in Selangor. I think, he did it not to challenge the administrators, but out of a sense of deep concern as a fellow human being. It showed in his facial expression and in the tone of his voice.

The Agong will also be remembered for another person in his life - Tuanku Aishah. His late Highness and the ever-gracious Permaisuri may have seemed an odd couple to some, but to me they were a very good couple showing true companionship in public despite the glaring age difference.

Through my observation, I sense that His late Highness must have enjoyed the presence of Permaisuri Tuanku Aishah by his side. He always looked upbeat, jovial and unprotocolish with her by his side.

And the Permaisuri was also very interactive with the rakyat she met during the course of her official duties. To many young Muslim girls, Her Highness was also a role model going into the record as being the first Permaisuri to "wears the tudung (the headscarf ordained by Islam to Muslim ladies)."

I am getting ready to go to Istana Negara now to pay my last respect to the best Agong I have ever known.