King once again

His Royal Highness Al-Sultan Almu'tasimu Billahi Muhibbuddin Tuanku Alhaj Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, the Sultan of Kedah Darulaman, is being installed as the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong today.

The installation ceremony, to be held at the new Istana Negara in Jalan Duta, is certain to be etched in the everlasting memory of Malaysians, particularly Kedahans. The Ruler is the first monarch in the country to be installed as Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a second time.

At the age of 84, he will also set the record as the oldest Ruler to ascend the throne. Accompanying Tuanku Abdul Halim on the throne as Raja Permaisuri Agong will be Sultanah Tuanku Hamidah Hamidun.

The Sultan of Kedah Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah is the first Ruler in the country to be installed as Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a second time.

During Tuanku Abdul Halim's initial reign as the fifth Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1970 to 1975, Almarhum Sultanah Bahiyah, the eldest daughter of Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman Tuanku Muhammad, was Raja Permaisuri Agong. Tuanku Abdul Halim has a long regal connection with the nation's sovereignty.

The first Yang di-Pertuan Agong for Persekutuan Tanah Melayu was Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman who reigned from 1957 to 1960. The 10th King (1994 to 1999) was Almarhum Tuanku Jaafar Tuanku Abdul Rahman, who was Tuanku Abdul Halim's brother-in-law.

Tuanku Abdul Halim's royal connections do not end there. During his stint as Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1965 to 1970, the then Prime Minister the late Yang Teramat Mulia Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj was his uncle.

The Sultan of Kedah Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah is seen during his installation as the fifth Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Sept 21, 1970.

Tuanku Abdul Halim is an affable and charismatic personality who carries himself with distinct majestic poise. The son of Almarhum Sultan Badlishah and Almarhum Tunku Sofiah was born on November 28, 1927, at Istana Anak Bukit in Alor Setar. He married Almarhum Sultanah Tuanku Bahiyah in March 1956 at Istana Sri Menanti in Negri Sembilan. The royal couple was blessed with three daughters twins Datuk Seri Tunku Soraya and Tunku Sarina (who passed away in 1991) and Datuk Seri Tunku Putri Intan Safinaz. 

Tuanku Abdul Halim was proclaimed as the 27th Sultan of Kedah on July 14, 1958 and was crowned in an official coronation ceremony on February 20, 1959, in the state palace's audience hall. During his first reign as Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim presided at the handing over of duties as Prime Minister by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra to his successor Tun Haji Abdul Razak Hussein.

This occurred just a day after he became Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Sept 21, 1970. In 1975, Tuanku Abdul Halim married Che Puan Haminah Hamidun who used the title Che Puan Kedah until Jan 9, 2004, when she was proclaimed the Sultanah of Kedah following the death of Almarhum Sultanah Bahiyah. Tuanku Abdul Halim is a caring, humble and gentle Ruler who is loved by his subjects and is known as the Ruler with a “people's heart”.

Tuanku Abdul Halim had his early education at Sek Melayu Alor Merah and Sek Melayu Titi Gajah before continuing his studies at Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid in Alor Setar which was the first English school in Kedah. While studying at Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid, Tuanku Abdul Halim lived in the hostel which enabled him to interact freely with students from various walks of life. He was also a school prefect.

His teachers acknowledged Tuanku Abdul Halim as an articulate student who never looked down on others despite being the Crown Prince. Upon leaving the college, Tuanku Abdul Halim enrolled at Wadham College, Oxford, and obtained a Diploma in Public Administration and Social Science.

On his return home in 1955, he joined the Kedah Administrative Service and was attached to the Kota Setar District Office before moving on to serve at the State Treasury. His early stint in the Kedah Administrative Service not only gave him a valuable insight into the workings of the system, it also endeared him to the officers of the administration.

-thestar online.