Sharafuddin of Selangor

Sharafuddin Idris Shah
Sultan of Selangor
Reign 21 November 2001 – present
Coronation 9 March 2003
Predecessor Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah
Spouse Raja Zarina Raja Zainal (m. 1968, div. 1986)
Nur Lisa Idris Abdullah (m. 1988, div. 1997)
Issue
Tengku Zerafina
Tengku Zatashah
Tengku Amir Shah
Father Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah
Mother Raja Saidatul Ihsan Tengku Badar Shah
Born 24 December 1945 (1945-12-24) (age 66)
Klang, Selangor

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah is the ninth and current Sultan of the Malaysian state of Selangor. He ascended the throne in 2001, succeeding his father, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah.

Contents

Early life and education

Sharafuddin was born on 24 December 1945, at Istana Jema'ah, Klang, as the first son of the Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Selangor, Tengku Abdul Aziz Shah and his first wife, Raja Saidatul Ihsan Tengku Badar Shah (c. 1923–2011).[1][2] His father was the eldest son of Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah and Raja Jemaah Raja Ahmad, who became the second Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia. His mother was a grandchild of both Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah and Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah of Perak.[3] As such, his parents were first cousins. He was named Tengku Idris Shah at birth.[4]

He began his education at Malay Primary School, Kuala Lumpur, aged nine, before attending St. John's Institution until 1959.[1]

In 1960, his father became the Sultan of Selangor, becoming Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah. That same year, Tengku Idris, 15, was proclaimed the Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Selangor; his formal installation occurred ten years later. He was sent abroad to continue his education, attending the Hale School in Perth, Australia, from 1960 and later Langhurst College in Surrey, United Kingdom, from 1964.[1]

After returning from the United Kingdom, Tengku Idris joined the government service, and was attached to the Selangor State Secretariat under the administration of Menteri Besar Harun Idris. He served in the Kuala Lumpur District Office and police department.[1]

On 24 April 1999, he was appointed Regent of Selangor after his father became the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.[1]

Sultan of Selangor

On 22 November 2001, Tengku Idris was proclaimed Sultan of Selangor, succeeding his father, who died after only two years as Yang di-Pertuan Agong.[5] He took the regnal name Sharafuddin (connoting 'religious enlightenment' in Arabic), and is styled as Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.[4] His formal coronation took place on 9 March 2003 at Istana Alam Shah, Klang.[6]

As Sultan, he is known to have revoked state awards conferred by him or by his father. In 2007, he revoked the Datuk title of a businessman who pleaded guilty for financial fraud. He has also suspended others who have been charged in court for various misdealings or faced bankruptcy.[7] In 2011, he suspended the datukship of former transport minister Chan Kong Choy in relation to the latter being charged in court over the Port Klang Free Zone scandal.[8]

The 2008 general election saw sweeping political change in Selangor. For the first time, Barisan Nasional (BN) did not win control of the state assembly. Sharafuddin presided over the swearing-in of the first non-BN Menteri Besar of Selangor.[9]

In May 2009, he underwent a ten-hour open heart surgery at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, California.[10]

In early 2011, he became embroiled in a crisis over the appointment of the state secretary, the state's highest-ranking civil servant. The federal government appointed Mohd Khusrin Munawi to the position, which was consented to by Sharafuddin.[11] However, the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government opposed the appointment.[12] The state government eventually relented, and Khusrin assumed his duties in February 2011.[11]

Marriages and children

Sharafuddin married twice, and is presently divorced. He acceded to the throne and reigns without a consort.

In 1968, as Tengku Idris, he married Raja Zarina Raja Tan Sri Zainal. The marriage ended in divorce in 1986. Sharafuddin and Raja Zarina have two children:[4]

In 1988, Tengku Idris married American-born Nur Lisa Idris Abdullah (née Lisa Davis). They divorced in 1997 and have one child:[4]

Interests

Sharafuddin is known for being adventurous, having circumnavigated the world and scaled a mountain. At 30, he climbed Mount Kinabalu.[5][15]

Prior to becoming Sultan, Sharafuddin was an avid sailor. In 1995, he circumnavigated his yacht, SY Jugra, around the world. The journey took 22 months.[15] He sold the yacht before becoming Sultan.[5] The Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta, a major annual sailing event, is named after him.[5]

He has also taken part in rallies and long distance car races. He joined and completed the 1997 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge in his 1932 Ford Model B.[5] He covered 16,000 km in 43 days, winning the silver medal in the vintage car category.[15] In 1986, he drove a Proton Saga from Kota Kinabalu to Kuching, covering 1,111 km in two days.[5]

Titles, styles and honours

Titles and styles

Sharafuddin's full style and title is: Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Alhaj, Sultan of the State of Selangor and All Its Dependencies.[16]

Honours

Sharafuddin is a recipient of the Darjah Kerabat Yang Amat Di-Hormati (D.K.) of Selangor, Terengganu, Kelantan, Perak, Perlis, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and Johor.[5] In addition, he was conferred the Seri Paduka Mahkota Johor (S.P.M.J.).[16]

In March 2001, he received an honorary degree from Universiti Teknologi MARA.[5]

He is an Honorary Life President of the Football Association of Selangor.[5]

Ancestry

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Life's a simple and beautiful journey, says Sultan". Sultan of Selangor's Birthday (New Straits Times): pp. 6–8. 2002-12-11. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DkAhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aHsFAAAAIBAJ&dq=sharafuddin%20of%20selangor&pg=1474%2C440681. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  2. ^ "Selangor Sultan’s mother dies". The Star (Malaysia). 2011-03-31. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/31/nation/20110531125627&sec=nation. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  3. ^ "Selangor". Genealogical Gleanings. http://uqconnect.net/~zzhsoszy/states/malaysia/selangor.html. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  4. ^ a b c d "Biodata Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah" (in Malay). Agong mangkat. Utusan Malaysia. 2001-11-22. http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/SpecialCoverage/agongmangkat/index.asp?y=2001&dt=1122&pub=agongmangkat&sec=Berita&pg=be_15.htm. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kee, Hua Chee (2003-03-08). "Fulfilling a Ruler's destiny". The Star (Malaysia). http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/3/8/nation/sultan08&sec=nation. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  6. ^ "State to reach greater heights". The Star (Malaysia). 2003-03-09. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/3/9/nation/klgruler&sec=nation. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  7. ^ "Selangor Sultan strips trader of title". New Straits Times. 2007-08-09. http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/new-straits-times/mi_8016/is_20070809/selangor-sultan-strips-trader-title/ai_n44373155/. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  8. ^ "Ex-minister and bankrupt lose Selangor titles". The Star (Malaysia). 2011-04-11. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?sec=nation&file=/2011/4/11/nation/8458075. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  9. ^ "Khalid Ibrahim sworn-in as new Selangor Mentri Besar". The New Straits Times. 2008-03-13. Archived from the original on 2008-03-14. http://web.archive.org/web/20080314043108/http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/NewsBreak/20080313173454/Article/index_html. Retrieved 2008-03-13. 
  10. ^ "Sultan Selangor Stabil Selepas Pembedahan Jantung". Bernama. 2009-05-03. http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/bm/news_lite.php?id=408427. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  11. ^ a b A. Ruban (2011-02-17). "Khusrin takes his oath at last". The Star (Malaysia). http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/2/17/north/8083255&sec=north. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  12. ^ Shazwan Mustafa Kamal (2011-01-06). "Selangor Sultan maintains Khusrin’s appointment lawful". The Malaysian Insider. http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/selangor-sultan-maintains-khusrins-appointment-lawful/. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  13. ^ "The Sultan, my father". The Star (Malaysia). 2003-03-08. http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2003/3/8/features/sultanfather&sec=features. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  14. ^ Chan, Jade (2008-02-28). "A wedding reception befitting a princess". The Star (Malaysia). http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/2/28/central/20441632&sec=central. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  15. ^ a b c "The Sultan, sailing and the sea". Sultan of Selangor's Birthday (New Straits Times): p. 10-13. 2002-12-11. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DkAhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aHsFAAAAIBAJ&dq=sharafuddin%20of%20selangor&pg=1474%2C440681. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 
  16. ^ a b "May Allah The Almighty Bless Our Sultan". New Straits Times. 2001-12-22. p. 3. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DkAhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aHsFAAAAIBAJ&dq=sharafuddin%20of%20selangor&pg=1474%2C440681. Retrieved 2011-06-03. 

External links

Regnal titles
Preceded by
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah		 Sultan of Selangor
2001 – present		 Incumbent
Heir:
Tengku Amir Shah