Sharifah Rodziah Syed Alwi Barakbah
Encyclopedia
Tun Sharifah Rodziah binti Syed Alwi Barakbah was the third wife of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj
, the founding father and first Prime Minister of Malaysia
.
Born in 1920, Sharifah Rodziah is of Hadhrami-Malay descent; her Arab ancestors had migrated from Hadhramaut
and settled in Kedah
for several generations. Being of the Barakbah clan, she is related to Syed Sheh Hassan Barakbah
, the former Yang di-Pertua Negeri
(Governor) of Penang
.
Sharifah Rodziah was actually the younger sister of Tunku's university mate in England
, Syed Omar Barakbah. Tunku and Sharifah Rodziah got married in 1939 when he returned to Kedah
from England
upon hearing news that World War II
was about to erupt in Europe
.
She became Tunku's third wife after the death of Meriam Chong and his divorce from Violet Coulson
. However, the marriage did not result in any offspring. Sharifah Rodziah became a loving stepmother to Tunku's children from his first marriage to Meriam Chong. They later adopted four children, Sulaiman, Mariam, Sharifah Hanizah (who was also his granddaughter) and Faridah.
Tunku Abdul Rahman
's eldest daughter, Tunku Khadijah said in an interview to the The Star that Sharifah Rodziah “loved my father dearly to a fault. She did not want to share him with anyone else".
Sharifah Rodziah played an important role in rallying political support for her husband during Malaysia's tumultuous formative years.
She died due to pneumonia
, in Penang
, on March 12, 2000 at the age of 80 years old.
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, AC, CH was Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya from 1955, and the country's first Prime Minister from independence in 1957. He remained as the Prime Minister after Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined the...
, the founding father and first Prime Minister of Malaysia
Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the...
.
Born in 1920, Sharifah Rodziah is of Hadhrami-Malay descent; her Arab ancestors had migrated from Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut, Hadhramout, Hadramawt or Ḥaḍramūt is the formerly independent Qu'aiti state and sultanate encompassing a historical region of the south Arabian Peninsula along the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea, extending eastwards from Yemen to the borders of the Dhofar region of Oman...
and settled in Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
for several generations. Being of the Barakbah clan, she is related to Syed Sheh Hassan Barakbah
Syed Sheh Hassan Barakbah
Tun Syed Sheh Al-Haj bin Syed Hassan Barakbah was a prominent Malaysian judge. He was the second Lord President of the Federal Court, and the first Malaysian to hold that office...
, the former Yang di-Pertua Negeri
Yang di-Pertua Negeri
The Yang di-Pertua Negeri is the official title of the ceremonial heads of state of the Malaysian states without hereditary rulers, namely Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak...
(Governor) of Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
.
Sharifah Rodziah was actually the younger sister of Tunku's university mate in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Syed Omar Barakbah. Tunku and Sharifah Rodziah got married in 1939 when he returned to Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
upon hearing news that World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
was about to erupt in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
She became Tunku's third wife after the death of Meriam Chong and his divorce from Violet Coulson
Violet Coulson
Violet Coulson was the second wife of Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia. After the death of his first wife named Meriam Chong, he went to Singapore and met Violet Coulson, his long-time friend from London. Coulson was actually his former landlady in England.Tunku had met...
. However, the marriage did not result in any offspring. Sharifah Rodziah became a loving stepmother to Tunku's children from his first marriage to Meriam Chong. They later adopted four children, Sulaiman, Mariam, Sharifah Hanizah (who was also his granddaughter) and Faridah.
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, AC, CH was Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya from 1955, and the country's first Prime Minister from independence in 1957. He remained as the Prime Minister after Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined the...
's eldest daughter, Tunku Khadijah said in an interview to the The Star that Sharifah Rodziah “loved my father dearly to a fault. She did not want to share him with anyone else".
Sharifah Rodziah played an important role in rallying political support for her husband during Malaysia's tumultuous formative years.
She died due to pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, in Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, on March 12, 2000 at the age of 80 years old.