Tengku Abdullah could be the sixth Sultan of Pahang soon

KUANTAN: Should Tengku Abdullah ascend the throne, this would make him the sixth Sultan of Pahang in the modern era.

Tengku Abdullah was born on July 30, 1959 at Istana Mangga Tunggal, Pekan, the fourth child and eldest son of Sultan Ahmad Shah and Almarhumah Tengku Ampuan Afzan.

He was named Tengku Mahkota Pahang on July 1, 1975, and installed as Sultan Ahmad Shah’s heir apparent on Oct 23, 1977 at Istana Abu Bakar.

Tengku Abdullah, 59, married Tengku Puan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Iskandar in 1986.

He has nine children. Tengku Abdullah has a wealth of experience in state administration as he had taken on the day-to-day duties of his father since being appointed Regent in December 2016.

This is not Tengku Abdullah’s first turn as Regent as he had served in that role before when Sultan Ahmad Shah was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1979 to 1984.

The whirlwind process of deciding the future of the Pahang crown came after Kelantan’s Sultan Muhammad V resigned as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Jan 6.

The Sultan of Pahang is next in the rotation of the nine Malay Rulers to reign as the King.

However, as Sultan Ahmad Shah was unwell, word quickly spread that he might abdicate in order for Tengku Abdullah to be eligible to be elected the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

As of yesterday, Sultan Ahmad Shah, 88, had reigned for 45 years.