THE PARAMOUNT RULER OF MALAYSIA, SULTAN SIR ISMAIL NASRUDDIN SHAH AND QUEEN TODAY (MONDAY) BEGAN A SIX-DAY STATE VISIT TO WEST GERMANY. IT IS THE FIRST STATE VISIT BY A MALAYSIAN HEAD OF STATE TO A EUROPEAN NATION, AND RETURNS THE VISIT PAID BY WEST GERMAN PRESIDENT LUEBKE IN 1967.

THE ROYAL COUPLE FLEW IN TO BONN FROM GENEVA. AFTER BEING WELCOMED AT BONN AIRPORT BY PRESIDENT LUEBKE AND CHANCELLOR KIESINGER THEY DROVE TO THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICIAL RESIDENCE ON THE BANK OF THE RHINE. DURING THE SIX DAYS OF THE VISIT, THE PARAMOUNT RULER AND QUEEN ZACHARIAH WILL SPEND FOUR DAYS TOURING WEST GERMANY, VISITING SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF BAVARIA.

THE PARAMOUNT RULER OF MALAYSIA, THE DI-PERTUAN AGON, IS ELECTED EVERY FIVE YEARS FROM AMONG THE NINE SULTANS OF THE NORTH-WEST MALAYAN STATES. MALAYSIA IS A MONARCHY, BUT THE ELECTION OF THE PARAMOUNT RULER MAKES IT UNIQUE IN THE MONARCHIES OF THE WORLD.