Sultan took part in army operations
ON Sept 12 last year, His Royal Highness (HRH) Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah was proclaimed the 29th sultan of Kedah following the passing of his elder brother, Almarhum Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, at Istana Anak Bukit on Sept 11.
The monarch is the ninth of 14 siblings born to the late Sultan Badlishah ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, the 27th Sultan of Kedah, and the late Sultanah Asma Almarhum Sultan Sulaiman, the daughter of Almarhum Sultan Sulaiman Badrul Alam Shah of Terengganu.
Born in April 1942 in Alor Star, His Royal Highness Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah was raised at Istana Anak Bukit and pursued his early education at Sekolah Melayu Alor Merah.
He continued his education at Sultan Abdul Hamid College where he thrived as member of the Debate Association, and was active in college activities, including rugby and football.
The conducive learning environment at the college offered the young royal many opportunities to develop his interpersonal skills and adventurous spirit by enabling him to mingle with students from all walks of life, and participating in character-building experiences.
A noteworthy event was a four-day expedition with school mates travelling on bamboo rafts on Sungai Sik right up to the place where it meets Sungai Kuala Muda.
Pursuit of his higher education led the young prince to India, and on his return to Malaysia in 1962, His Royal Highness Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah took up a short teaching position at Alor Star’s Iskandar School.
By this time, the young royal had developed a keen interest in the armed forces. He returned to India on July 23, 1962, to complete a one-year military course at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun.
In February 1964, when he returned to Malaya, he was commissioned as a lieutenant and stationed with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment in Pengkalan Chepa, Kota Baru, Kelantan.
During his military career, His Royal Highness Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah was in security operations at border areas with Thailand and Indonesia.
At the height of the IndonesianMalaysian confrontation, His Royal Highness Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah and his battalion were posted to Kalabakan, Sabah, where they patrolled the border areas surrounding Mentadah Kampung, Simpang Tiga and Apas Pond.
Following that tour of duty, his battalion returned to Pengkalan Chepa in 1965 and then moved to the Sungai Besi Camp in 1966.
This was followed by a transfer to Sarawak in 1967 to conduct operations at the Malaysian-Indonesian border until 1968.
In 1969, His Royal Highness Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah was stationed at Kedah’s Tok Jalai Camp.
The 2nd Battalion’s services were needed to conduct patrols and maintain order in Penang during the May 1969 racial riots.
On Feb 14, 1974, His Royal Highness Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah retired from the armed forces.
Besides his military career, the sultan has vast experience in administration and business and has served with property development, timber and construction companies.
Other key positions he has held include serving as Tunku Temenggong of Kedah on Nov 28, 1981.
He was appointed as a member of the Council of Regency when his eldest brother, Almarhum Sultan Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, served as king from 2011 to 2016. He chaired that council after the demise of his older brother, Almarhum Dato’ Seri Utama Tan Sri Tunku Annuar, in 2014 and held the post until Dec 12, 2016.
His Royal Highness Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah was proclaimed as the 19th Raja Muda of Kedah on Dec 15, 2016, succeeding his brother, Almarhum Tunku Abdul Malik, who passed away on Nov 29, 2015.
The sultan is Majlis Agama Kedah president and was appointed chancellor of Universiti Utara Malaysia last November, succeeding his late brother Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah.
His Royal Highness Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah is the patron of the Centre for Islamic Studies, Kuala Nerang, Kulim, Kedah; adviser to the Malaysian Territorial Army Support Committee Kedah Darul Aman; and honorary member of the Malaysian Ex-Servicemen Association of Kedah Darul Aman.
An active sportsman and avid golfer, His Royal Highness Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah likes to spend his leisure time sightseeing and travelling with his children and grandchildren.
His Royal Highness Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah is married to Her Royal Highness (HRH) Sultanah Maliha binti Almarhum Tengku Ariff, a member of Kelantan royalty.
Her Royal Highness Sultanah Maliha binti Almarhum Tengku Ariff, 69, was born in Kota Baru, Kelantan, on April 13, 1949, and is the grandniece of the late Sultan Yahya Petra, the 27th sultan of Kelantan.
Her Royal Highness Sultanah of Kedah completed her early school years at Assunta Girls Primary and Secondary School, Petaling Jaya, when her father Tengku Sri Jaya Royal Tengku Arif Long Tengku Abdul Rahman was serving with Dutch airline KLM. She returned to Kelantan and studied at SM Sultanah Zainab in Kota Baru.
Following her interest in the development of the English language, she was appointed as the patron of English Language Literacy and Computer Program, an online learning program for primary students to master the language, jointly organised by the state Education Department and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
The royal couple wed on Nov 26, 1965, and have two sons: Raja Muda of Kedah Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah Ibni Sultan Sallehuddin and Tunku Laksamana Kedah Datuk Tunku Sahzuddin Ariff Ibni Sultan Sallehuddin.
Tengku Sarafudin Ibni Sultan Sallehuddin is married to Che Puan Muda Zaheeda Mohamad Ariff. They have two children: Tunku Zara Bahiyah Tengku Sarafudin and Tunku Sulaiman Badlishah Tengku Sarafudin.