Tuanku Abdul Rahman

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In full, Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad, (August 24, 1895 - April 1, 1960) was the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong (roughly equivalent to King) of the Federation of Malaya, eighth Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Seri Menanti and second Yang di-Pertuan Besar of modern Negeri Sembilan.

Contents 1 Early career 2 Election as Ruler of Negeri Sembilan 3 Election as King 4 Installation 5 Death and funeral 6 Belief in democracy 7 Family life 8 Trivia 9 Notes 10 External links

[edit] Early career

Born Tunku Abdul Rahman at Seri Menanti, he was the second son of Tuanku Muhammad ibni Almarhum Tuanku Antah, first Yang di-Pertuan Besar of modern Negeri Sembilan and seventh Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Seri Menanti (1888-1933) by his consort Tunku Puan Chik.

He received his primary education at the Jempol Malay School, going on to the Malay College between 1907 and 1914. He worked at the Federal Secretariat in Kuala Lumpur for a year before being appointed Assistant Collector of Land Revenue in Seremban. He served in the Malayan Volunteer Infantry as a Second Lieutenant, to be promoted Lieutenant in 1918.^[1]

On the death of his elder brother, Tunku Abdul Aziz, in 1917, he was groomed as heir to the throne and received the title of Tunku Laksamana.

After serving as Acting Assistant District Officer in Sepang, he accompanied his father on a trip to London in 1925. He stayed on to qualify as a barrister from Inner Temple. In London, he was elected first President of the Kesatuan Melayu United Kingdom, one of the earliest Malay nationalist groups. Upon returning to Malaya in December 1928, he served in the Malayan Civil Service in various parts of the country. ^[2]

[edit] Election as Ruler of Negeri Sembilan

On the death of his father on August 3, 1933, Tunku Abdul Rahman was elected Yang di-Pertuan Besar by the four Undang or Ruling Chieftains of Negeri Sembilan. His accession was witnessed by brother ruler Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah of Selangor.

Tuanku Abdul Rahman (as he became) admitted to British interrogators that he had made speeches in favour of the Japanese during the latter's military occupation of Malaya (1942-1945) but this had been done under duress and that the Japanese forcibly removed certain of his royal privileges. ^[3]

Although he subsequently signed the Malayan Union treaty, he repudiated it later and upon the suggestion of Sultan Badlishah of Kedah, engaged a London-based lawyer to represent the case of the Malay rulers against the Malayan Union plan of Clement Attlee's government. ^[4]

[edit] Election as King

Tuanku Abdul Rahman was elected first Yang di-Pertuan Agong or Paramount Ruler of independent Malaya on August 3, 1957 for a five year term by eight votes to one, defeating the more senior Sultan Abu Bakar of Pahang. ^[5]

[edit] Installation

Tuanku Abdul Rahman was installed as the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong of independent Malaya on September 1, 1960 at the throne room of the Istana Negara. As Malay rulers do not traditionally possess crowns, he was installed by kissing the royal kris of state (keris kerajaan) to the beat of the nobat, a tradition which has been followed by every Yang di-Pertuan Agong since. In honour of Tuanku Abdul Rahman, all subsequent Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia have also used the headdress Dendam Tak Sudah, the fashion employed in Negeri Sembilan.^[6]

[edit] Death and funeral

Tuanku Abdul Rahman died in his sleep at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur in the early morning of April 1, 1960. The lying in state was held at the Banquet Hall of the Istana Negara. On April 2, 1960, a state funeral procession was held in Kuala Lumpur, whereupon the teak coffin of His Late Majesty was then taken by train to Seremban and later by hearse to the Istana Besar, Seri Menanti. He was buried at the Royal Mausoleum in Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan on April 5, 1960. ^[7]

[edit] Belief in democracy

Tuanku Abdul Rahman believed strongly in parliamentary democracy and one of his most memorable quotes was to a foreign dignitary from the Middle East who in 1959 complained about Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj's "high handed" manner and wanted the King to sack him. To this, His Late Majesty replied: "Alas I can't sack him; he is elected by the people, and as Prime Minister of the country he can sack me!"^[8]

[edit] Family life

Tuanku Abdul Rahman married four times. His marriages were:

1. in 1919 to Dulcie Campbell, a Eurasian nurse who embraced Islam as Cik Maimunah (divorced)
2. in 1920 to Tunku Maharun binti Tunku Mambang, a member of the Negeri Sembilan royal family (divorced)
3. in 1929 to Tunku Kurshiah binti Tunku Besar Burhanuddin, a cousin, who became first Raja Permaisuri Agong or Queen of Malaya ^[9]
4. in 1948 to Tunku Zaidah binti Tunku Zakaria (1922-present), another cousin ^[10]

Two of his children succeeded him as Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan:

1. Tuanku Munawir (son of Tunku Maharun), who reigned 1960-1967
2. Tuanku Jaafar (son of Dulcie Campbell), who succeeded his brother in 1967 and still reigns

[edit] Trivia

• His face has adorned all Ringgit Malaysia banknotes since its introduction in 1967 as well as several commemorative coins and stamps. His headdress, but not his face, is depicted on the reverse of the electronic Malaysian identity cards (MyKad).
• His name commemorates one of the streets of Kuala Lumpur's business district nearby Dataran Merdeka, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (formerly Batu Road).
• Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Ipoh is also named after him.

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• Malaysia National Library's Tuanku Abdul Rahman biography.
• Council of Rulers' Tuanku Abdul Rahman biography (in Malay).

Preceded by —	Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia)	Succeeded by Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah (Sultan of Selangor)
Preceded by Tuanku Muhammad	Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan	Succeeded by Tuanku Munawir