Sultanah Maliha

Maliha
مليحة‎
Sultanah of Kedah
Tenure12 September 2017 – present
Proclamation30 April 2018
PredecessorSultanah Haminah
BornTengku Maliha binti Tengku Ariff
(1949-04-13) 13 April 1949 (age 75)
Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1965)​
Issue
Regnal name
Sultanah Maliha binti Almarhum Tengku Ariff
HouseLong Yunus (by birth)
Mahawangsa (by marriage)
FatherTengku Sri Jaya Raja Tengku Ariff bin Tengku Long Abdul Rahman
MotherCik Puan Sri Jaya Raja Cik Puan Rokiah binti Sulaiman
ReligionSunni Islam
Signature

Sultanah Maliha binti Almarhum Tengku Ariff (Jawi: سلطانة مليحة بنت المرحوم تڠكو عارف; born 13 April 1949) is the current Sultanah of Malaysian State of Kedah, replacing her sister-in-law, Sultanah Haminah. She was proclaimed as the Sultanah of Kedah on 30 April 2018 in a royal ceremony after her husband, Sultan Sallehuddin was made Sultan of Kedah.[1] She is the mother to Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah and Tunku Shazuddin Ariff.

Biography

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Born as Tengku Maliha, she is the third children of seven siblings to Tengku Sri Jaya Raja Tengku Ariff bin Tengku Long Abdul Rahman and Cik Puan Sri Jaya Raja Cik Puan Rokiah binti Sulaiman.[2] She is a member of Kelantanese Royal Family with Raja Perempuan Zainab II, the consort of Sultan Yahya Petra as her grand aunt.[3]

She received her early education at St. Mary Primary School, Kuala Lumpur and then at Assunta Satu Primary School before she went to Assunta Secondary School, Petaling Jaya. At that time, her father was serving with KLM, a flag carrier airline company of the Netherlands.[4] In 1960, she with her family returned to Kota Bharu, Kelantan after her father served as the aide-de-camp to Sultan Yahya Petra, the then Sultan of Kelantan.

After returning to Kota Bharu, she continued her studies at Raja Perempuan Zainab (I) Secondary School and she was very active in her school sport activities especially in hockey. She also took part in school debate club and once presenting her school in a state's English debate competition.[5]

Interest

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Sultanah Maliha cares and is involved in the education development of the people especially in Kedah and is keen the development of the English Language. As such, she was appointed as the royal patron of English Literacy and Computer Programme (COMEL), managed by State Government Education Department and National University of Malaysia. Sultanah Maliha is also a cat lover and passionate in cooking, especially Malaysian East Coast cuisines.[6]

Raja Puan Muda of Kedah

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She was proclaimed as the Raja Puan Muda of Kedah (literally the Crown Princess) replaced Tengku Raudzah after her husband was proclaimed as the Raja Muda of Kedah (Crown Prince of Kedah) on 15 December 2016. Her husband replaced Tunku Abdul Malik, who died of natural causes on 29 November 2015 at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar.[7]

Sultanah of Kedah

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Maliha was made the Sultanah of Kedah after her husband proclaimed as the new Sultan of Kedah following the death of her brother-in-law, Sultan Abdul Halim in September 2017. Her official proclamation as Sultanah was held on 30 April 2018 with full of royal ceremony at Anak Bukit Palace, Alor Setar. The ceremony was attended by members of Kedah and Kelantan Royal Family, Kedahan statesmen, the then Chief Minister of Kedah and wife, some members of Kedah State Executive Council with their spouses. The ceremony began at 11 morning upon the arrival of Sultan Sallehuddin accompanied by Sultanah Maliha to the throne hall (known as the Bailarong Seri). After the arrival, the Sultanah proclamation letter read by the then Chief Minister of Kedah, Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah in front of the Sultan followed by Sultanah Maliha stood and kissed her husband's hand as symbol of the junjung duli (respect) ceremony. Then, the ceremony continued by 21 shots of canon accompanied by royal nobat (traditional music). Sultanah Maliha was also bestowed with the Darjah Seri Setia Sultan Sallehuddin (SSSK) by the Sultan. The ceremony end with the Sultan and Sultanah along with royal family members left the throne hall.[8]

Like many spouses of heads of state, as the Sultanah of Kedah, she has no stipulated role or duties in the Kedah State Constitution. However, she accompanies the Sultan of kedah to official functions and state visits, as well as hosting visiting heads of state and their spouses. For example, she accompanied her husband to the Installation of Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI at the National Palace on 30 July 2019.

Honours

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Awards and Recognitions

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Places named after her

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Issue

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Name Born Marriage Children
Date Spouse
Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah 2 March 1967 27 February 2003 Che Puan Muda Zaheeda Tunku Zara Bahiyah
Tunku Sulaiman Badlishah
Tunku Shazuddin Ariff 27 April 1970 26 November 2022 Che Puan Nur Julie Ariff

Ancestry

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Norlida Akmar Idros (30 April 2018). "Sultanah Maliha dimasyhurkan sebagai Sultanah Kedah". KOSMO!. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Sultanah Maliha Dimasyhurkan Sebagai Sultanah Kedah". Berita RTM. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Pemasyhuran Sultanah Kedah Pada 30 April Ini". mypatriot. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Sultanah Maliha dimasyhurkan sebagai Sultanah Kedah". Astro Awani. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Sultanah Maliha dimasyhurkan sebagai Sultanah Kedah". Sinar Harian. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  6. ^ "Tengku Maliha proclaimed as the new Sultanah of Kedah" [Tengku Maliha diisytihar sebagai Sultanah Kedah yang baharu]. New Straits Times (in Malay). 30 April 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Tunku Sallehuddin dimasyhurkan Raja Muda Kedah". Utusan Online. Retrieved 2017-08-28.
  8. ^ Embun Majid (30 April 2018). "Pemasyhuran Sultanah Kedah". Berita Harian. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  9. ^ Petah Wazzan Iskandar (21 January 2018). "Sultanah Maliha ketuai 3 kerabat terima darjah Kedah". Berita Harian. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Sultanah Maliha dimasyhurkan sebagai Sultanah Kedah". BERNAMA. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Tunku Bendahara Terima Darjah Kebesaran Sempena Pelantikan Sultan Kedah". mStar. 12 December 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
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