Sultan Ismail Petra of Kelantan has been placed under stepped-up police security at a local hospital, where he is undergoing

follow-up treatment for a heart problem, in view of the recent shooting of a palace guard.

Comptroller of the Kelantan royal household Abdul Halim Hamad said the Regent of Kelantan, Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra, had instructed Kelantan chief police officer Abdul Rahim Hanafi to ensure the safety of the ruler, who was admitted to the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Hospital in Kubang Kerian yesterday.

He said the heightened security was needed in view of the shooting of palace guard Ramli Mohamad, 50, by an unidentified person on May 1. Ramli was badly injured in the chest after he was shot at four times.

"Based on the instruction, the police stepped up security from May 4," Abdul Halim told a news conference in Kota Bharu.

At a news conference yesterday evening, the third son of the sultan, Tengku Temenggong Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra, said he had planned to take his father for follow-up treatment at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore but a private plane was refused permission to land at the Sultan Ismail Petra airport.

The Kelantan ruler was first admitted to the USM Hospital in Kubang Kerian on May 14 last year for treatment of a heart problem and was taken to the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on May 24. He returned to Kelantan on March 3 this year after almost a year at the Singapore hospital.

Abdul Halim said the sultan was taken to the USM Hospital yesterday under police escort and was admitted to the royal ward to enable medical specialists to examine him and give their views to the regent and the state government on follow-up treatment.

"Previously, certain quarters had prevented specialists from administering follow-up treatment and therapy on the sultan," he said.

According to palace officials, the sultan would be taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital tomorrow evening in a government aircraft for follow-up treatment.

Abdul Halim advised the public not to listen to rumours or believe news in the blogs but to follow developments from the statements issued by the Office of the Kelantan Sultan or the relevant authorities.

He said the regent was most concerned about the health of his father and would strive to do what was best for the wellbeing of the sultan.

"We have to understand that what's happening is a domestic matter of the Kelantan royal family, and we will leave everything in the hands of God," he said.

Meanwhile, in a related development, surgeons at the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital in Kota Bharu have succesfully removed a bullet from the wounded palace guard, Ramli.

Abdul Halim told Bernama the bullet was taken out around noon today and that Ramli was now undergoing post-surgical

treatment.

The palace guard was seriously injured after being shot at close range while he was riding his motorcyle to his home in Kampung Kok Keli, Tumpat near Kota Bharu.

- Bernama

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