Friendly recollections of Sultan Sallehuddin
ALOR SETAR: Gracious, amiable, gentle, well mannered – these were among the words that rolled off the lips of some of the schoolmates of the Sultan of Kedah.
Their recollections of Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, 76, who they studied with at the Sultan Abdul Hamid College here during the 1950s, paint the picture of a boy who was friendly yet firm and who actively participated in games and activities such as rugby, football and debating.
Sultan Sallehuddin, who will be installed as the 29th Sultan of Kedah on Oct 22, had even participated in a four-day bamboo rafting expedition from Sungai Sik to Sungai Kuala Muda in Kedah sometime in 1958.
Known for his down-to- earth nature, he mingled easily with the other students regardless of their race or status.
One of the ruler’s classmates Lim Han Seng, 75, said he would always treasure the memories of his school days when he and the sultan were close friends.
Although he was the son of the 27th Sultan of Kedah the late Sultan Badlishah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, he did not put on airs and got along well with everyone. Visits to Istana Kuning Lim, who had worked as a temporary teacher before joining his family business, recalled the time when he and his fellow hostel mates would eagerly look forward to the weekends as the sultan would often invite them to accompany him to the palace, Istana Kuning, where he would treat them to all kinds of delicacies, including imported chocolates.
“I was very lucky as I was always invited to Istana Kuning. It was during the 1950s and I remember the chocolates that we were served.
“The chocolates were expensive as they were imported from the United Kingdom.
“There was a shop at Jalan Langgar where those chocolates were sold but even if we were to buy it, we could only afford one bar.
“Most of us did not have much money then but Tuanku, who had everything, was very kind and would say to us, ‘ Eat, eat, take whatever you want’,” Lim related to Bernama.
Describing Sultan Sallehuddin as good-natured and gentle, Lim said the sultan never got angry even when teased by his classmates.
Recalling an amusing incident during a physical education class when some classmates clowned around with the sultan and kept nudging him, Lim said: “Tuanku ran off (in jest) and all of us chased after him”. Animal lover Datuk Syed Azizan Syed Mohamed Al Idrus, 74, who is a friend and relative of Sultan Sallehuddin, said he has great respect for the sultan.
Syed Azizan. who is a greatgrandson of the 26th Sultan of Kedah the late Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, described the sultan as a gentle but firm person who was principled and always abided by the law and was not materialistic.
“While we were students at Sultan Abdul Hamid College, I was in the science stream while Tuanku was in the arts stream as he had a keen interest in history and even today, he still has the interest.
“Tuanku enjoyed reading, especially history books and was very knowledgeable about the subject,” said Syed Azizan, who was formerly Muda Agricultural Development Authority general manager.
He also revealed that Sultan Sallehuddin was an animal lover, a quality he had inherited from his father.
“He loves feeding the stray cats that wander outside the house. Don’t ever try to hit an animal, especially when Tuanku is around.
“Hence, it won’t be too surprising if Tuanku has intentions of upgrading the existing zoo at Istana Anak Bukit to make it more beautiful and comfortable,” he added.
Sultan Sallehuddin’s close rapport with the people is obvious as he regularly makes it a point to perform his Friday prayers at a mosque or surau that is rarely, or never, visited by the royalty.
“Tuanku likes to go to the surau or mosques located in the villages. Just recently, Tuanku visited Masjid Tanjung Pauh in Jitra, as well as a few mosques in Kulim and Sik to pray and get closer to the rakyat,” said Syed Azizan. No special treatment Datuk Syed Ariff Fadzillah Syed Awalluddin,75, who was the sultan’s classmate from 1956 to 1961, also sang praises of the sultan, describing him as a gracious and generous person.
Reminiscing about the days when he and the sultan stayed in the same hostel at the Sultan Abdul Hamid College, he said: “Tuanku was such a simple and kind person as well. He was also considerate of others.
“For instance, during the fasting month whenever Tuanku went back to the palace during the weekend, he would return to the hostel with all kinds of goodies which he would share with his hostel mates ... this is something that I remember till this day.”
Syed Ariff Fadzillah, who had previously been appointed as Malaysian ambassador to several countries including Thailand and South Korea, said the sultan, despite his status as a prince then, never behaved arrogantly or showed off to the other students.
“Tuanku was not given any special place in the class or hostel. He bathed in the same place we bathed in and ate at the same place as us.
“Tuanku didn’t receive any special treatment and when he became the class monitor, he treated us all equally,” he said.
The sultan, he said, also had a great sense of humour and mingled well with all the students. Nevertheless, out of respect, his classmates addressed him as From a young age, Sultan Sallehuddin has had an interest in military affairs. Hence, it was no surprise that he joined the army when he was in his 20s.
The sultan is well- known for his military service as he was involved in several operations in the country’s border areas.
He trained as a cadet first before he was sent to the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, India, in 1962 where he attended a one-year military course.
He was promoted to lieutenant in 1964 and stationed at the Second Battalion Royal Malay Regiment in Pengkalan Chepa in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.
During his military service, the sultan was engaged in several operations along the common border with Thailand in the states of Kelantan, Kedah and Perak, and also in Sabah and Sarawak.
During the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation in the 1960s, Sultan Sallehuddin’s battalion was active in Kalabakan and in the Malaysia/ Indonesia border such as Kampung Mentadah and Simpang Tiga, as well as Apas Balong in Tawau, Sabah.
The ruler retired from the army on Feb 14, 1974. — Bernama
I was very lucky as I was always invited to Istana Kuning. It was during the 1950s and I remember the chocolates that we were served. The chocolates were expensive as they were imported from the United Kingdom. There was a shop at Jalan Langgar where those chocolates were sold but even if we were to buy it, we could only afford one bar. Lim Han Seng, one of Sultan Sallehuddin’s classmates
‘ Tengku’.
“We never went beyond the limits and always respected Tuanku,” he added.
Syed Ariff Fadzillah is confident that with his character and attributes, the peopleoriented Sultan Sallehuddin would become a ruler who is loved by the people.
“Tuanku has friends of all races. I believe he will be able to rule Kedah in a fair and efficient manner,” he added.