Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu
| 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 |
| Born | 22 January 1962 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia |
| Spouse | Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah |
| Issue | Tengku Nadhirah Zaharah Tengku Muhammad Ismail Tengku Muhammad Mua'az Tengku Fatimatuz Zahra' |
| House | Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur |
| Father | Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah |
| Mother | Tengku Ampuan Bariah |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin (born 22 January 1962 in Kuala Terengganu) is the 17th Sultan of Terengganu and the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional head of state of Malaysia. He is Malay by ethnicity and an adherent of Sunni Islam, both of which are prerequisites for Malaysian royalty.
Early life and education
Tuanku Mizan was born on 22 January 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. Sharifa's family is of Arab descent, from Syed Omar Aljunied, one of the modern pioneers of Singapore.[1]
Tuanku Mizan studied at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sultan Sulaiman and Sekolah Menengah Sultan Sulaiman, Kuala Terengganu. He went overseas to study at the Geelong Grammar School in Geelong, Australia. In 1988, Mizan completed his undergraduate studies at U.S. International University-Europe (now called Alliant International University) in London, earning a B.A. in International Relations.
Tuanku Mizan participated in the military course PRE SMC (E) 33 at the Army School of Languages from 1982 to 1983. He then studied the military course SMC 33 at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England, successfully completing the course as Cadet Officer on 9 December 1983.
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 in 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 Assistant District Land Officer at the Kuala Terengganu District Land Office.
Sultan
| Styles of The Sultanate of Terengganu | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | His Royal Highness |
| Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
| Alternative style | Tuanku |
Mizan was appointed the Crown Prince of the State of Terengganu on the 6 November 1979. On 20 October 1990, he was appointed the Acting Sultan of Terengganu to 8 November 1990.
From 1991 to 1995, Mizan was President of the Council for Islam and Malay Culture of Terengganu.
Mizan became the youngest ruler of a Malaysian federal state when he was appointed as the Sultan of Terengganu on 15 May 1998 following the death of his father, Sultan Mahmud. Mizan was crowned as the 17th Sultan of Terengganu on 4 March 1999.
He serves as Colonel-in-Chief of Kor Armor DiRaja (Royal Armoured Corps) and Kor Ordinance DiRaja (Royal Ordnance Corps) of the Malaysian Army in his capacity as Sultan of Terengganu,
2008 Menteri Besar appointment crisis
The state of Terengganu, where Barisan Nasional won two-thirds of the seats in the state parliament, was the last to appoint a Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) after the 2008 general elections. In the formation of the new Terengganu state government, the federal government under Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi recommended Idris Jusoh as Menteri Besar, who received full support of 23 of the 24 Barisan Nasional state assemblymen elected.[2] However, on 22 March, the office of the Sultan of Terengganu announced the appointment of Kijal assemblyman Ahmad Said instead of Idris Jusoh,[3] as was the Sultan's constitutional right.
The Prime Minister claimed that the appointment of Ahmad Said was unconstitutional as it went against the wishes of the assemblymen and the Prime Minister's office, all of whom had supported Idris Jusoh's candidacy for Menteri Besar.[4]
On 26 March, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin met at Istana Negara to resolve the impasse. The Prime Minister accepted the King's appointment of Ahmad Said as Menteri Besar of Terengganu. He also apologised to the King for the public spat over the appointment of the Menteri Besar, explaining that there was no intention to disparage or humiliate the royal household. This apparent climbdown was due to the possibility that the royal household would be prepared to dissolve the state assembly if there had been a motion of no-confidence against Ahmad Said by the 23 UMNO state assemblymen.[5]
Ahmad Said continues to be Menteri Besar of Terengganu and is also Deputy Liaison Chief for UMNO in Terengganu, a party position normally assumed by the Menteri Besar of a state.
Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Mizan was appointed Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 26 April 1999 after Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, the Sultan of Selangor was elected the 11th Yang di-Pertuan Agong by the Conference of Rulers. Following the death of Salahuddin, Mizan became Acting YDPA on 21 November 2001.
Mizan was re-appointed Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 13 December 2001 after the Conference of Rulers elected Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail as the 12th YDPA.
Mizan served as the first Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) (2001–2006).
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
On 3 November 2006, Mizan was elected by the Conference of Rulers to become the 13th YDPA, with his five-year term starting 13 December 2006. The Conference of Rulers appointed Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah as the Deputy YDPA. Mizan's appointment was the fourth following a second rotation system amongst the nine Malay Rulers. This five-year rotational constitutional monarchy is unique to Malaysia.
On 26 April 2007, Mizan was formally invested as king.[6][7]
Mizan, 44, is the third youngest YDPA after Tuanku Syed Putra of Perlis and Tuanku Abdul Halim of Kedah who were elected at age 40 and 43 respectively. He is also the first King born after Hari Merdeka (Malaysian Independence Day), which fell on 31 August 1957.
Marriage and family
Mizan married Sultanah Nur Zahirah on 28 March 1996 in Kuala Terengganu. She is only the second Raja Permaisuri Agong (Queen of Malaysia) to habitually wear the hijab (ritual Islamic headscarf for women).
The royal couple has two sons and two daughters: Princess Tengku Nadhirah Zaharah (b. 18 December 1996), Prince Tengku Muhammad Ismail (b. 1 March 1998), Prince Tengku Muhammad Mu'az (b. 22 December 2000), and Princess Tengku Fatimatuz Zahra' (b. 19 April 2002).
Mizan appointed his eldest son, Tengku Muhammad Ismail, the Regent of Terengganu at the age of eight in 2006. Due to his youth, a three-member Regency Advisory Council was set up to discharge his duties. The council was headed by Raja Tengku Baderulzaman, Sultan Mizan’s younger brother. The other members were Sultan Mizan’s uncle Tengku Sri Laksamana Raja Tengku Sulaiman Ismail and former Federal Court judge Dato' Haji Abdul Kadir Sulaiman.
Upon reaching Mukallah (13 years of age), the Islamic age of responsibility, and according to Syariah law and the constitution of Terengganu, Tuanku Mahummad Ismail became able to discharge his duties himself. However, the Sultan formed another council, Majlis Perwakilan Pemangku Raja, to perform the Regent’s duty while he was away from Terengganu pursuing his studies. This second and current council is headed by Tengku Mustafa Kamel, another of Sultan Mizan’s younger brothers, together with former Regency Advisory Council members Tengku Sri Laksamana Raja Tengku Sulaiman Ismail and Dato' Haji Abdul Kadir Sulaiman.
During his younger days, Sultan Mizan was a keen footballer. He is currently active in golf, endurance riding and scuba diving. In addition, the Global Taekwondo Federation GTF) awarded Mizan an Honorary 7th Degree Black Belt in recognition of his active participation in the sport.
Titles
| Styles of The Yang di-Pertuan Agong | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | His Majesty |
| Spoken style | Your Majesty |
| Alternative style | Tuanku |
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 in his full constitutional duties as Commander-in-Chief of the Malaysian Armed Forces as well as the ranks of Field Marshal of the Malaysian Army and Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
Officially, Mizan's full style and title is Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Dipertuan Agong Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah or translated into English as His Majesty The Supreme Ruler Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah.
Legacy
Several projects and institutions were named after the Sultan, including:
Educational institutions
- Institut Pendidikan Guru, Kampus Sultan Mizan at Besut
- Politeknik Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin at Dungun
Buildings, Bridges and Roads
- Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque (known as Iron Mosque) at Putrajaya
- Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium at Kuala Terengganu
- Jalan Tengku Mizan (known as Sultan Mahmud Bridge Highway) on Federal Route
FT 3 in Kuala Terengganu
Others
- Yayasan DiRaja Sultan Mizan (YDSM) or Sultan Mizan Royal Foundation
References
- ^ Al-Mahjar
- ^ "23 Terengganu Assemblymen Pledge Support For Idris Jusoh". Bernama.
- ^ "Malaysia: The MB For Terengganu Finally Appointed". Sin Chew.
- ^ "Terengganu MB Appointment Unconstitutional, Says Abdullah". Bernama.
- ^ "Ahmad Said stays Mentri Besar". Malaysia Insider. 2008-03-26. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
- ^ Associated Press, "Malaysia's 13th king formally installed in tradition-steeped ceremony", International Herald Tribune, 26 April 2007.
- ^ "Malaysia's new king takes office", BBC, 26 April 2007, 09:00 GMT 10:00 UK
- Sultan Mizan moved to tears at ceremony, The Star, 13 December 2006.
- Sultan Mizan the second youngest to become King, The Star, 14 December 2006.
- Majestic welcome for Terengganu royals, The Star, 14 December 2006.
- Monarchs of Terengganu
- Monarchs of Malaysia
- Reigning monarchs
- Current national leaders
- 1962 births
- Living people
- People educated at Geelong Grammar School
- Sandhurst graduates
- Marshals of the Royal Malaysian Air Force
- Malaysian people of Thai descent
- Knights of the Order of the Rajamitrabhorn
- United States International University alumni