Installation 18 September 1989 Spouse Tuanku Bainun (m. 1955) Name Azlan of | Installation 9 December 1985 | |
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Reign 26 April 1989 – 25 April 1994 Reign 3 February 1984 – 28 May 2014 Children Nazrin Shah of Perak, Raja Ashman Shah, Raja Eleena, Raja Yong Sofia, Raja Azureen Grandchildren Raja Ahmad Nazim Azlan Shah Parents Yusuf Izzuddin Shah of Perak, Toh Puan Besar Hatijah Binti Toh Indera Wangsa Ahmad Similar People Nazrin Shah of Perak, Raja Ashman Shah, Tuanku Bainun, Zara Salim Davidson, Idris Shah II of Perak | ||
Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-lah, GCB, KSTJ (19 April 1928 – 28 May 2014) was the 34th Sultan of Perak and was the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia from 26 April 1989 to 25 April 1994. The child of a royal father and commoner mother, he grew up in Perak, Malaysia. During school he played field hockey, subsequently playing for the Perak team. He trained to be a lawyer in the United Kingdom. Upon returning to Malaysia, he soon became a judge and quickly rose through the legal ranks. In 1965, he became the youngest person appointed to the High Court of Malaya, and in 1982 he became the youngest ever Lord President of the Federal Court, the country's highest judicial rank.
Contents
- Early life and education
- Legal career
- Becoming Sultan
- Perak constitutional crisis
- Education
- Sports
- Patron
- Royal family
- Death
- Literature
- Titles and styles
- Honours
- Perak honours
- Malaysian honours
- State honours
- Foreign honours
- Legacy
- Educational institutions
- Buildings
- Roads
- Others
- References
After his uncle died in 1984, Azlan Shah became the Sultan of Perak. He became the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (elected king) of Malaysia in 1989, serving a five-year term before returning to his post as Sultan of Perak. In 2009, he exercised his royal authority to prevent the dissolution of the Perak Legislative Assembly, sparking a constitutional crisis. Ultimately, the legal system ruled Sultan Azlan had acted properly.
During his career, Sultan Azlan Shah was awarded more than 3 dozen Malaysian and foreign honours. Dozens of buildings and other projects were named after him, including a genus of insects. He was known as the "Father of Malaysian Hockey" for furthering field hockey at home and abroad, and was the patron of dozens of organisations. With his wife Tuanku Bainun Binti Mohd Ali, Sultan Azlan had five children.
Early life and education
He was born on 19 April 1928 at Kampung Manggis, Batu Gajah, Perak. A child of Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Jalil Karamatullah Nasiruddin Mukhtaram Shah Radziallah (reigned 1948–d. 1963) by his second wife, Toh Puan Besar Khadija binti Toh Indera Wangsa Ahmad (1906–1991), he was brought up by his mother outside royal circles.
Raja Azlan Shah began his education at the Government English School, Batu Gajah Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Yussuf. For his secondary education, he attended Malay College, Kuala Kangsar. Afterwards, he went to the University of Nottingham to study law, earning a Bachelor of Law degree in 1953. While in school, Azlan Shah began his lifelong love for field hockey, playing for his school teams. He subsequently played for the Perak team.
Legal career
Raja Azlan Shah was admitted to the English Bar on 23 November 1954. He returned to Malaysia, becoming the Assistant State Secretary of Perak. He joined the Judicial and Legal Service of the Federation of Malaya and soon became the President of the Sessions Court. He continued rise quickly through the legal ranks, serving as Federal Counsel and Deputy Public Prosecutor, Legal Adviser of the State of Pahang, Registrar of the High Court of Malaya, and Chief Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia.
In 1965, Raja Azlan Shah, aged 37, became the youngest judge ever appointed to the High Court of Malaya. He was appointed to the Federal Court in 1973. In 1979, he was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Malaya. Finally, on 12 November 1982 he became the youngest ever Lord President of the Federal Court, the highest judicial post in Malaysia.
Becoming Sultan
Raja Azlan Shah was installed Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Perak by his uncle, Sultan Idris Almutawakkil Alallahi Shah II on 1 July 1983. During, the long reign of Idris Shah most of Raja Azlan Shah's elder brothers had died. His only surviving elder brother, Raja Baharom Shah, refused the office of Crown Prince and Raja Azlan Shah was suddenly heir to the throne.
Within six months, Sultan Idris died and Azlan Shah succeeded to the throne of Perak on 3 February 1984. He was officially installed as the 34th Sultan of Perak on 9 December 1985. In April 1989, Sultan Azlan Shah became the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong (elected king) of Malaysia. After the five-year term, he returned to his post as Sultan of Perak in 1994.
Perak constitutional crisis
In 2009, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) political group held a narrow majority in the Perak state assembly with 32 of the 59 seats. Three members of the party decided to leave, and allied themselves with the rival BN coalition. PR leader Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin requested to dissolve the parliament. Sultan Azlan refused the request, citing royal discretion, and instead demanded Mohammad Nizar and the rest of the leadership resign their posts to make way for BN leaders.
The decision was challenged and the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the Sultan was not constitutionally permitted to dismiss the menteri besar. However, upon appeal, the decision was reversed by the Court of Appeal which rules that the Perak State Constitution gives absolute discretionary power for the Sultan to dissolve the State Legislative Assembly. The Court also directed Nizar to resign. The decision was subsequently upheld unanimously by the five-man Bench of Federal Court in February 2010.
Education
Sultan Azlan was the Pro-Chancellor of the Universiti Sains Malaysia from October 1971 to February 1981 and the Chancellor of the University of Malaya from February 1983 until his death. He also served the Chairman of the Higher Education Advisory Council from 1974 to 1976. The University of Malaya awarded him an honorary doctorate in June 1979 and the University Science of Malaysia awarded him one the following June.
Sultan Azlan was recognised by several foreign universities, including:
Sports
Sultan Azlan was an avid supporter of field hockey throughout his life. Due to his significant contributions to the sport, he was known as the "Father of Malaysian Hockey." Azlan was President of the Malaysian Hockey Federation until 2005, and was the elected President of the Asian Hockey Federation from 1997 until his death. He was an Executive Board member of FIH (International Hockey Federation), serving as vice-president for two terms starting in 1992. Under Azlan Shah's leadership, Malaysia twice hosted the World Cup, in 1975 and 2002. In 1983, the sultan founded the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, an annual hockey tournament played in Ipoh.
Sultan Azlan enjoyed golfing in his spare time.
Patron
Sultan Azlan was a patron of the following institutions:
Royal family
Sultan Azlan Shah married Bainun Binti Mohd Ali. She is styled as Her Royal Highness The Raja Permaisuri (Queen) of Perak, Tuanku Bainun Binti Mohd. Ali, D.K., D.M.N.. The couple had five children, two princes and three princesses. The eldest is Raja Nazrin Shah, who is now current Sultan of Perak. The others are Raja Azureen, Raja Eleena and Raja Yong Sofia. Raja Dato' Seri Ashman Shah died on 30 March 2012 of asthma attack.
Death
Sultan Azlan Shah died on 28 May 2014 at 1:30 pm at the National Heart Institute, Kuala Lumpur at aged 86. He was posthumously titled as Marhum Al-Maghfullah and was laid to rest at the Al-Ghufran Royal Mausoleum near Ubudiah Mosque, Kuala Kangsar after Asar prayers on 29 May, and the proclamation of a new Sultan was announced on the 29 May. Upon his death, a public holiday was announced in the state of Perak for 29 May so that the population could pay their last respects to him at Kuala Kangsar. Menteri Besar of Perak Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir announced that the Malaysian flag would fly at half-mast for 7 days, and the Perak flag for 100 days. In addition, "all entertainment and celebrations" were cancelled to show respect for the Sultan. He is survived by his wife Tuanku Bainun, and his four children Raja Nazrin Shah, Raja Dato' Seri Azureen, Raja Dato' Seri Eleena. Raja Dato' Seri Yong Sofia, their other son Raja Dato' Seri Ashman Shah died in 2012 of asthma attack.
Literature
Titles and styles
His son, Sultan Nazrin, applied the appellation of Maghfurulah to his posthumous name. Hence he is referred to as Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfurulah.
Honours
Sultan Azlan held the rank of Marshal of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. His honours are:
Perak honours
Malaysian honours
State honours
Foreign honours
Legacy
At the 1982 Perak Domestic Tourism Exposition, the orchid that won the best plant award was named after Azlan Shah, "Doritinopsis Sultan Azlan Shah". The Azlania genus of insect was named in honour of him by The Malaysia Nature Society.
Several building projects and institutions were named after the Sultan, including: