Monarchies Today - Royalty around the globe: Almarhum SULTAN AHMAD SHAH (1930 - 2019), PAHANG' Sultan (1974-2019), MALAYSIA's Yang di-Pertuan AGONG VII (1979-84)

KDYMM Paduka Ayahanda Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mu'azzam Shah died on Wednesday, 22 May 2019 at 8:50am, after a long time of hospitalization & declining health. He was 88.

Al-Sultan Abdullah of Pahang, Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI

The former Sultan of Pahang & father of current Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah (which five-year-term he undertook himself back 40 years ago), the Father Sultan was the first former Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Royal Head of State) of the country who lived to see his son (& successor as Sultan) being elected to that office.

HIS LIFE:

With his maternal grandfather
Sultan Iskandar Shah of Perak

Tengku Ahmad Shah was born on midnight of October 24, 1930, in a palace the third child & only son of then heir to the Malaysian Sultanate's throne Tengku Abu Bakar & his senior wife, Raja Fatima (daughter of the Sultan from the fellow state of Perak).

His father became Sultan of Pahang in 1932, but it wasn't until 1944 when Tengku Ahmad was appointed Tengku Mahkota (or Crown Prince).

Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mu'adzam Shah

Ahmad Shah received his elementary education at a local Malay school in Pekan (Pahang) & continued his secondary education at a college in Perak. His studies were interrupted due to the Japanese occuption (1941-44) during WWII, however he managed to learn some Japanese during that period.

In 1948 his Royal Highness pursued higher education in public administration in Oxford's Worcester College & Exeter University, UK. He also underwent a 3-year practical training at an English town council. At the age of 35 Ahmad undertook the service as Chief of Staff of the Infantry Battalion of Malaysian Federal Army.

Sultan Ahmad Shah with his first wife, Tengku Ampuan Afzan

On 22 April 1954, Tengku Ahmad married to his first wife, Tengku Hajah Afzan Tengku Paglima Muhammad (1932-1988), a Princess from the Terengganu Sultanate. Together they had seven children, two sons & five daughters (namely: Meriam, Muhaini, Aishah, Abdullah, Abdul Rahman, Nong Fatimah & Shahariah).

After his father died on 7 May 1974, Tengku Ahmad Shah succeeded the throne (the next day), becoming the 5th Sultan of modern Pahang. He was installed (/customary enthroned) a year later.

Coat-of-Arms of Pahang Sultanate

Upon the sudden death of Malaysia's Supreme King (/Yang di-Pertuan Agong) Sultan Yahya Petra of Kelantan in 1979, Ahmad Shah from central Pahang (who served as his deputy) was elected as his successor. He undertook the office his father failed to be first in back in 1957, due to his controversial intermarital affairs.

Sultan/Tuanku Ahmad Shah dressed as YDP Agong VII

Sultan Ahmad Shah served as the 7th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (/Federal Head of State) for a full, five-year-term (from 1979 to 1984), back in the first rotation, where the 'system' of Agong's selection by a seniority order was being established (& 9 Malaysian constituent monarchs exchanged each other every 5 years prioritizing the senior & longest-reigning ruler at the moment).

After the end of his YDP Agong's term, Ahmad Shah returned to his state (from capital Kuala Lumpur) to continue his reign as the Sultan.

Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah & his second wife, Sultanah Kalsom

His consort, Tengku Ampuan Afzan (& former Raja Permaisuri Agong/Supreme King's 'Queen' consort), died of cancer on 29 June 1988, and HRH remarried to Chik Anita Binti Abdullah (of Pakistani origin) on 14 March 1991, naming her Sultanah Kalsom in September 1992. She gave birth to Sultan's youngest son, Tengku Fahd Mu'adzam Shah in 1994.

SPORTS:

The late Sultan was a keen sportsman throughout his entire life. His favorite was football, but he also dedicated time to golf, hockey & equestrian sports. He was said to be always "a team player".

Having been involved to sport's federations both in Malaysia & abroad, Ahmad Shah was appointed on various posts. He was first elected as President of Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) from 1984, being reelected for another term (sometimes even without contest), until he stepped down in favour of his eldest son in 2014. He was the longest-serving FAM President.

Through his tenure as FAM president, the Sultan was criticised for unpopular decisions of the council, but retained his position for long enough to see the highest ratings of Malaysian football in its history. Their team achieved Gold medals at several games with fellow countries of the region (Southern-Eastern Asia) & the historic AFF (Asian Football Federation) Suzuki Cup victory in 2010.

Sultan Ahmad Shah (right) & his elder son, Tengku Abdullah

His Royal Highness received numerous honorary awards 'for his contributions to the (national) football's development', including the AFC Diamond of Asia (2011) & 'FIFA Order of Merit' in 2012.

Sultan Ahmad had also been praised for his diplomatic skills & tollerance to 'constructive criticism' against him. While leading FAM, he would oversee the rapid evolution of Malaysian League from a non-professional status to Super-League. In 2002 he would too negotiate for the FIFA World Cup to be jointly hosted by South Korea & Japan, despite bitter relations the countries had at the time.

Additionally Ahmad Shah had served as President of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) from 1994 to 2002, and moreover had been the President of ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) from 2011 to 2019. A passionate lover of (Malay) football, his legacy of footprinting the sport through a new chapter will remain indelible.

Education & launchings:

Ahmad Shah as Chancellor of International Islamic University

On the field of education, HRH was the constitutional Head of the International Islamic University from 1983. He played an initiating role in development of the Pahang-Malaysian University, laying down its foundation stone in (the royal town of) Pekan in 2002. He furthermore launched the Abu Bakar Royal Mosque, in Pekan in 1976.

"Ruler & People Are Inseparable":

During the ~45 years of reign as Sultan, Ahmad was very popular in his state. He used the motto: "Raja dan Rakyat Berpisah Tiada" (The Ruler and his people are inseparable), and had a frequent contact with his people, approaching him in a simple manner. He is though reported to have some odds with politicians, having had forced several of his state ministers to resign over minor issues.

PM Tun Dr. Mahathir in the late 1980s (currently reelected at 93)

Moreover, when he was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Ahmad Shah refused a constitutional amendment by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, which would force the Rulers assent any bill passed by (state or national) cabinet after 15 days, and transfer the power to declare state of emergency from the King to Prime Minister.

Ahmad Shah as YDP Agong (centre) & Dr. Mahathir (left)

A large division & street protests (led by Mahathir) followed, until a compromise was agreed with the Agong retaining the power to declare a State of emergency. All of the (nine) Malay Rulers & a handful of political parties had shown their support to Ahmad Shah.

Sultan Ahmad Shah comforts relatives of MH370' victims

The Sultan was a down-to-the earth personality. His "closure to the people" in his state was indeed visible & he used to break with the strict royal protocol to contact with everybody & make them feel comfortable. He was especially keen in meeting those suffering.

Sultan Ahmad Shah shows his displeasure over illegal farmings

Following various natural disasters, His Royal Highness used to be the first visiting the hit areas & comforting victims, one-by-one.

He strongly voiced his sorrow & anger over Cameroon Highland's illegal farming for agricultural purposes in 2014, reportedly causing landslides & floods. He called on those farmers to be brought to justice.

In 2015, after a landslide occured on the Sultanate's East Coast Highway, Ahmad Shah visited the territory despite his physical weakness, & went down to the grounds to observe the situation himself.

Sultan Ahmad Shah & Sultanah Kalsom on His 85th Birthday

LATER LIFE & LONGEVITY RECORDS:

The Ruler would continue to do so, up until his health declined.
In October 2016 he declined to be elected as Deputy King for another time (paving the way to become the next YDP Agong) would name his elder son as Regent of Pahang later that December.

Sultan Ahmad Shah & Sultanah Kalsom (right, backwards) in 2017

Over the course of the next year (2017) he diminished his activities, & appeared only ocassionally on wheelchair, while in late 2018 he was admitted to the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur.

In January 2019, following the historic-first abdication of the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ahmad Shah was the "next-in-line".

With Agong Abdul Halim (1927-2017) in 2016

However, as his health wouldn't allow him to serve a second term (that only Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah achieved), the Royal Council of Pahang held an emergency meeting, where the state constitution was amended, so to allow a petition of the Sultan's abdication.

Thus, the royal succession was quickly decided, & Ahmad Shah was informed. His elder son, Abdullah, succeeded him as the 6th Sultan of Pahang on January 15 & 'was elected' as the next King of Malaysia nine days later. The elderly former ruler received the honorary title of Paduka Ayahanda ("Father-Sultan").

Following Sultan Abdullah' swearing-in as Yand di-Pertuan Agong on January 31, Paduka Ayahanda Sultan Ahmad Shah became the first ever former (termed-)King of Malaysia to live into his son's reign in that office (as usually Malay Rulers succeed their fathers - & thus potential Yang di-Pertuan Agongs - following their deaths).

YDP Agong Abdullah (with his consort) on his father's funeral

For the rest of his life the Father-Sultan remained critically-ill, under an intensive-treatment in capital's hospital. He never saw the Installation of his son as King (scheduled for July 30, 2019).

By the time of his death, Sultan Ahmad Shah had become the oldest-living Sultan (& Ruler) in Malaysia, the sixth oldest living sovereign & fourth oldest living former monarch in the world. From September 2017 to January 2019, he was Malaysia's oldest-reigning monarch. He is the last of Malay Rulers, to be born before WWII.

Almarhum (=the deceased (royal)) is survived by his second wife, eight children, living grandchildren & siblings (& possible great-grandchildren). In a text-tribute, the Royal Consort of Johor Permaisuri Raja Zarith Sofiah (HRH's maternal first cousin), recalled him to be even humbler as his nobility rank increased.

Relations of the deceased with royal families of Johor & Perak

For those values, as well as for his informal character (& way to approach his people), & historic milestones he will be remembered.

Almarhum KDYMM Paduka Ayahanda (Tuanku Haji/) Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mu'adzam Shah (24 October 1930 - 22 May 2019); 5th Sultan of modern Pahang (8/05/1974-14/01/2019), 7th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia (26/04/1979-25/04/1984). Al-Fatihah!.

See also the previous publication, about events, surrounding the late Sultan's death & funeral:
https://royaleventsintheword.blogspot.com/2019/05/breaking-death-funeral-of-pahangs.html

Short videos of english obituary, or malay tributes: