Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin
Encyclopedia
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
from 13 December 2001 to 12 December 2006 and 7th Raja of Perlis since 2000.
Early life and education
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin was born in ArauArau
Arau is the royal capital of Perlis in Malaysia. It is located in Peninsular Malaysia, 14 kilometers southeast of the official state capital of Kangar. The red-roofed Istana is a mixture of colonial and pseudo-Moorish architectural styles...
, Perlis
Perlis
Perlis is the smallest state in Malaysia. It lies at the northern part of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and has Satun and Songkhla Provinces of Thailand on its northern border. It is bordered by the state of Kedah to the south...
and is the second of ten children of HRH Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail
Tuanku Syed Putra
Raja Syed Putra ibni Syed Hassan Jamalullail, KCMG was the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya, and later of Malaysia , and sixth Raja of Perlis from 1945 to 2000....
and Tengku Budriah
Tengku Budriah
Tengku Budriah binti Tengku Ismail was the Raja Perempuan of Perlis, consort of Raja Syed Putra Jamalullail, and the third Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia.-Early life:...
binti Almarhum Tengku Ismail. He studied at the Arau Malay School until standard two, then from 5 January 1950 he continued his primary education at Wellesley Primary School 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...
followed by Westland Primary School until the end of 1955. Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin began his secondary education at Penang Free School
Penang Free School
Penang Free School is a secondary school located on Jalan Masjid Negeri , George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Although the medium of instruction is now Malay, Penang Free School was the first English-medium school in South East Asia. It is widely recognised as one of Penang's premier schools and alumni...
on 9 January 1956 and later left for 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...
to study at Wellingborough School
Wellingborough School
Wellingborough School is an independent fee-paying day school in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England. It was established in 1595 and is one of the oldest schools in the country.-History:...
for four years until 1963. Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin also underwent training as a Cadet Officer at the Royal Military Academy
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
in Sandhurst, England from January 1964 until December 1965.
Early career
Upon his return from England, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin served with the Ministry of Defence Malaysia. His first post was as Second LieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the 2nd Regiment of the Malaysian Reconnaissance Corps (12 December 1965). In 1966, he was transferred to Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
and then to Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
in 1967. He then served in Pahang
Pahang
Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...
for several years until he resigned on 31 December 1969 to return to Perlis. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in December 1967.
In 1970, he served in the armed forces again, as Captain of the Local Territorial Army from 16 November 1970 until 1 October 1972. He was promoted to Major on 1 October 1972. Presently, he is the Commanding Officer of Regiment 504 of the Army Reserve Unit with the rank of Colonel.
Raja of Perlis
In October 1960, he was appointed the Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Perlis while still a student. Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail was installed as the twelfth ruler of Perlis on 17 April 2000, the day after his father, Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan JamalullailTuanku Syed Putra
Raja Syed Putra ibni Syed Hassan Jamalullail, KCMG was the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya, and later of Malaysia , and sixth Raja of Perlis from 1945 to 2000....
, who had been Raja since 1945, and at that time the world's longest reigning monarch, died.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin was elected the 12th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia on 13 December 2001. This was earlier than expected because the SultanSultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
and the previous 11th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Sir Hisamuddin Alam Shah Al-Haj, died on 21 November 2001 while his term should have ended in 2004. Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin's term ended on 12 December 2006.
Personal life
On 15 February 1967 he married Tengku Fauziah binti Almarhum Tengku Abdul RashidTengku Fauziah binti Almarhum Tengku Abdul Rashid
Tuanku Fauziah binti Tengku Abdul Rashid, D.K., S.S.P.J., S.P.M.P., is the current Raja Perempuan of Perlis. She also served as the Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia from 2001 till December 12, 2006....
D.K., S.S.P.J., S.P.M.P., daughter of Tengku Abdul Rashid ibni Almarhum Sultan Sulaiman Badrul Alam Shah of Terengganu, by his wife Tengku Kembang Puteri binti Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim Petra of Kelantan, who became the Raja Puan Muda of Perlis. Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin ibni Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail is the current Raja of Perlis, reigning since 17 April 2000. He served as the 12th Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 13 December 2001 to 12 December 2006 and 7th Raja of Perlis since 2000....
was appointed for the first time as the Regent of Perlis when HRH the Raja of Perlis and HRH the Raja Perempuan of Perlis travelled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 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...
from 23 June 1967 until 24 October 1967. Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin has one son, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra who was born on 30 December 1967 and a daughter Sharifah Fazira, born on 5 June 1973.
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin has travelled to many countries including United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin is also active in sports. Among his favourite sports are golf, tennis, football and is a fan of Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
football club. He has been the Chairman of Putra Golf Club, Perlis since May 1971, and the patron of the Association of Football Referees of Perlis since 1967. He was also the Chairman of the Football Association of Perlis for 18 years.
Social contributions
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin interacts frequently with his people through various fields and heads many social organisations, which are:- Chairman of the Rayuan Binaan Wisma Pahlawan Negeri Perlis and Chairman of the Exhibition Committee of the Malaysian Royal Armed Forces in Perlis on 1 April 1971.
- Chairman of the Association of Malaysian Ex-Servicemen, Perlis branch for five years.
- Chairman of the Rayuan Derma Hari Pahlawan Negeri Perlis since 1972.
- Patron of 4B Youth Movement of Perlis.
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin is renowned for his dedication towards his people and takes great interest in education. With the establishment of the Tuanku Syed Putra
Tuanku Syed Putra
Raja Syed Putra ibni Syed Hassan Jamalullail, KCMG was the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya, and later of Malaysia , and sixth Raja of Perlis from 1945 to 2000....
Foundation in 1986, many Perlis students have been able to further their studies locally and abroad. Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin is the Chairman of this foundation.
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin became directly involved in religious affairs when he was appointed President of the Islamic Council of Perlis by the late Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra, the then ruler of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin is especially concerned that the religious affairs of the state are based on the ‘Ahlis Sunnah Waljamaah’ doctrine. In this regard, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin is constantly in touch with the religious leaders of Perlis.
Honours
- Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin held the rank of Marshal of the Royal Malaysian Air Force.http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Malaysia/malay2.htm
- Knight Grand Cross of the Grand Order of King TomislavGrand Order of King TomislavThe Grand Order of King Tomislav , or more fully the Grand Order of King Tomislav with Sash and Great Morning Star , is the highest state order of the Republic of Croatia...
(CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
- 5 February 2002).http://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/308375.html