Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin

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Mizan Zainal Abidin
Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia
Reign	13 December 2006 – present
Predecessor	Sirajuddin of Perlis
Sultan of Terengganu
Reign	15 May 1998 – present
Predecessor	Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah of Terengganu
Spouse	Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah
Issue
Tengku Nadhirah Zaharah Tengku Muhammad Ismail Tengku Muhammad Mua'az Tengku Fatimatuz Zahra'
Father	Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah
Mother	Sharifa Nong Fatima binti Sayyid Abdullah, Tengku Besar Terengganu
Born	22 January 1962 (1962-01-22) (age 47) Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Duli Yang Maha Mulia Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah is the 16th Sultan of the state of Terengganu, Malaysia, and the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or King, of Malaysia. He is the constitutional head of state of Malaysia.

[edit] Early life and education

Tuanku Mizan was born on January 22, 1962 at Istana Al-Muktafi in Kuala Terengganu, the eldest son of Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah by his second wife, Sharifa Nong Fatima, and the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong to be born after Malaysia's independence. Sharifa's family is of Arab descent, being descended from Syed Omar Aljunied, one of the modern pioneers of Singapore.^[1]

Receiving his early education at Sultan Sulaiman Primary School and later at Sultan Sulaiman Secondary School, Kuala Terengganu, Tuanku Mizan then went overseas to further his studies at the prestigious Geelong Grammar School in Geelong, Australia. In 1988, Mizan finished his studies at U.S. International University-Europe (now known as Alliant International University) in London, obtaining Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Relations on 9 June 1988.

Tuanku Mizan participated in the military course PRE SMC (E) 33 at the Army School of Languages from 2 November 1982 to 31 May 1983, and then attended the military course SMC 33 at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England from 3 May 1983, finishing the course of Cadet Officer on 9 December 1983. Mizan was commissioned to the rank of Honorary Lieutenant on 1 March 1984 and put in his service in the Royal Cavalry.

[edit] Career before becoming Sultan

On 15 September 1981, Tuanku Mizan was appointed as Assistant Land Levy Collector, working for a period of about a year at the District Land Office in Kuala Terengganu, prior to his departure overseas to attend the military course in England.

Tuanku Mizan's next appointment on 11 July 1988 was as State Administrative Officer at the State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN) in Wisma Darul Iman, Kuala Terengganu. Besides working for UPEN, Tuanku Mizan was also handling the job of Assistant District Land Officer at the Kuala Terengganu District Land Office.

[edit] Sultan

Mizan was appointed the Crown Prince of the State of Terengganu on the 6 November 1979, and much later, the Acting Sultan of Terengganu from 20 October 1990 to 8 November 1990.

Mizan became the youngest Malay ruler when he acceded to the Terengganu throne at the age of 36 when he was appointed as the Sultan of Terengganu on the 15 May 1998 following the death of his father, Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah. Mizan was crowned as the 16th Sultan of Terengganu on the 4 March 1999. He has the unusual distinction of simultaneously being the 31st and 51st longest reigning current monarch (being the Sultan of Terengganu as well as Yang di-Pertuan Agong).

[edit] Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Mizan was appointed Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the 26 April 1999 after Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, the Sultan of Selangor was appointed as the eleventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Mizan was then the acting Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the 21 November 2001 following the death of Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah.

Mizan was once again appointed as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the 13 December 2001 after the Conference of Rulers decided to appoint Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail as the twelfth Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

[edit] Yang di-Pertuan Agong

On 3 November 2006, Mizan was elected by the Conference of Rulers to succeed Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail (Raja of Perlis) to become the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia with his term starting December 13, 2006 for a five year term following a rotation system practised by the Rulers. The Conference of Rulers also appointed Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The appointment of Mizan was the 4th following a second rotation system amongst the nine Malay Rulers. This five-year rotational constitutional monarchy is unique to Malaysia.

Mizan kissing the Quran at a ceremony where he was invested as the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia in Balairung Seri, Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur. With him is the Queen Consort, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah.

On 26 April 2007, he was formally invested as king.^[2][3]

Mizan, 44, is the second youngest Yang di-Pertuan Agong after Tuanku Syed Putra Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail of Perlis who took office as King on January 4, 1961, at the age of 41. He is also the first King to be born after the independence day of Malaysia.

[edit] Personal life

Mizan married Sultanah Nur Zahirah on 28 March 1996 in Kuala Terengganu. The royal couple has two sons and two daughters: Tengku Nadhirah Zaharah was born on 18 December 1996, Tengku Muhammad Ismail was born on the 1 March 1998 and Tengku Muhammad Mu'az was born on 22 December 2000 while Tengku Fatimatuz Zahra' was born on 19 April 2002.

His son Tengku Muhammad Ismail, at the age of eight was made the Regent of Terengganu on 12 November 2006. Due to his age, a three-member Regency Advisory Council was set-up to discharge the duties on behalf of the Regent. The council is headed by Raja Tengku Baderulzaman, who is Sultan Mizan’s younger brother. The others are Sultan Mizan’s uncle Tengku Sri Laksamana Raja Tengku Sulaiman Ismail, and a former Federal Court judge Dato' Haji Abdul Kadir Sulaiman.

During his younger days, Sultan Mizan liked to play football. Sultan Mizan is also active in sports like football, golf, taekwondo and scuba diving.

Mizan's active participation in the Taekwondo was acknowledged with an Honorary Award of the 7th Degree Black Belt given to him from the Global Taekwondo Federation.

He was President of the Council for Islam and Malay Culture of Terengganu from 1 June 1991 to December 1995. Mizan was the Honorary Colonel in the Royal Armour. Mizan was also appointed as the first Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) from 1 September 2001 to 31 August 2006.

[edit] Titles

Mizan was conferred the dignitary titles of the Darjah Utama Kerabat Terengganu (D.K.T.) on 15 May 1998 and, before this, the Darjah Kerabat Terengganu Yang Amat Mulia Darjah yang Pertama (D.K.) on 9 March 1981.

Other honours and titles Mizan has received include the Darjah Seri Setia Sultan Mahmud Terengganu Yang Amat Terpuji (S.S.M.T) on 12 February 1989, the Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Terengganu Yang Amat Dihormati (S.P.M.T.) on 6 March 1982, the Darjah Kerabat Baginda Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalulail (D.K.) on 28 May 1998, the Darjah Kerabat Johor Yang Amat Dihormati (D.K. ) and the Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Johor (S.P.M.J.) on 8 April 1986.

Mizan received the esteemed Darjah Seri Mahkota Negara (DMN) on 27 February 1999.

Mizan holds the rank of Marshal of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. [1]

[edit] Trivia

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (August 2007)

• He is the second youngest Yang di-Pertuan Agong to ascend to the throne after the third King Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail of Perlis who ascended to the throne at the age of 39 years old. Tuanku Mizan became king at the age of 44 years old.

• His consort, Sultanah Nur Zahirah is the second Raja Permaisuri Agong after Permaisuri Siti Aishah of Selangor who wears the headscarf (hijab) on a daily basis.

[edit] References