Queen of Malaysia

Queen of Malaysia
Raja Permaisuri Agong
راج ڤرمايسوري اݢوڠ‎
Royal Standard
since 31 January 2024
StyleHer Majesty
Residence
Formation31 August 1957; 67 years ago (1957-08-31)
First holderTunku Puan Besar Hajah Kurshiah
Websiteistananegara.gov.my

The Queen of Malaysia,[1] officially Raja Permaisuri Agong (lit. 'supreme queen' Jawi: راج ڤرمايسوري اݢوڠ) is the consort of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the elected, constitutional federal monarch of Malaysia.

Title and precedence

Styles of
The Queen of Malaysia
Reference styleHer Majesty
Spoken styleYour Majesty
Alternative styleTuanku

The queen's full style and title in Malay is Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong.

  • Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia literally means 'Under the dust of the Almighty', referring to how the Raja Permaisuri Agong's power and prestige is dust compared to God's power and the ruler and his consort are always subservient to God.
  • Seri Paduka Baginda refers to Seri as in a person. Paduka means victorious and the term Baginda is the Malay possessive pronoun for a royal in the third person.
  • Raja Permaisuri Agong in literal English is the "Supreme Queen". It is an archaic equivalent to Raja where the female is a Raja Permaisuri and "Agong" (or Agung in standard Malay) means 'supreme'. The term Agong is not translated, as in the Constitution of Malaysia. The Malay word permaisuri is derived from Sanskrit परमेश्वरी (parameśvarī), 'supreme lady'.

Common English terms used in the media and by the general public include "Supreme Queen" and "Paramount Consort".

In formal English correspondence, for many years the queen was referred to as "Her Majesty The Raja Permaisuri Agong". In January 2024, this was changed to "Her Majesty The Queen of Malaysia".[2][3]

There are two formal ways of addressing the queen:

The queen immediately follows her husband, the king, in the Malaysian order of precedence.

Status, functions, and privileges

The king is elected (de facto rotated) every five years from among the nine hereditary rulers of the states of Malaysia by the Conference of Rulers. When a ruler is elected to the office of king, his consort is automatically bestowed the title and dignity of queen and serves the same term of office as her husband. In effect, the holder of the title of Queen of Malaysia changes every five years, though it could happen earlier due to the death or abdication of the king during his term of office.

Like many spouses of heads of state, the queen has no stipulated role in the Constitution of Malaysia. She accompanies the king to official functions and state visits, as well as hosting visiting heads of state and their spouses during their visits to Malaysia. Article 34 of the Malaysian Constitution forbids the queen from holding any appointment, carrying any remuneration, or actively engaging in any commercial enterprise during her tenure. The queen is, however, legally entitled to an annual payment which is included in the Civil List of the king during his term of office.[4]

Previous holders of the title of Queen of Malaysia whose husbands are deceased receive a pension from the Federal Government's Civil List. They also take precedence immediately after the reigning king, the current queen, the reigning monarchs of royal states, and the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (governors) of non-royal states.

List of queens of Malaysia

The following consorts have served in the office of queen:

Number Name State Tenure start[5] Tenure end Yang di-Pertuan Agong Birth Death
1 (I) Tuanku Kurshiah  Negeri Sembilan 31 August 1957 1 April 1960 Tuanku Abdul Rahman 16 May 1911[6] 2 Feb 1999[7]
2 (II) Raja Jema'ah  Selangor 14 April 1960 1 September 1960 Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah 1900[8] 8 Apr 1973[9]
3 (III) Tengku Budriah  Perlis 21 September 1960 20 September 1965 Tuanku Syed Putra 28 Mar 1924[10] 28 Nov 2008[11]
4 (IV) Tengku Intan Zaharah  Terengganu 21 September 1965 20 September 1970 Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah 13 Apr 1928[12] 24 Jan 2015[13]
5 (V) Tuanku Bahiyah  Kedah 21 September 1970 20 September 1975 Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah 24 Aug 1930[14] 26 Aug 2003[15]
6 (VI) Tengku Zainab  Kelantan 21 September 1975 29 March 1979 Sultan Yahya Petra 7 Aug 1917[16] 10 Jan 1993[16]
7 (VII) Tengku Hajah Afzan  Pahang 26 April 1979 25 April 1984 Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah 4 Dec 1932[17] 29 Jun 1988[18]
8 (VIII) Tengku Zanariah  Johor 26 April 1984 25 April 1989 Sultan Iskandar 5 Jul 1940[19] 17 Mar 2019[20]
9 (IX) Tuanku Bainun  Perak 26 April 1989 25 April 1994 Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah 7 Nov 1932[21] Alive
10 (X) Tuanku Najihah  Negeri Sembilan 26 April 1994 25 April 1999 Tuanku Ja'afar 1 Sep 1923 8 Sep 2023[22]
11 (XI) Tuanku Siti Aishah  Selangor 26 April 1999 21 November 2001 Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz 18 Nov 1971[23] Alive
12 (XII) Tengku Fauziah  Perlis 13 December 2001 12 December 2006 Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin 6 Jun 1946[24] Alive
13 (XIII) Tuanku Nur Zahirah  Terengganu 13 December 2006 12 December 2011 Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin 7 Dec 1973[25] Alive
14 (XIV) Tuanku Hajah Haminah  Kedah 13 December 2011 12 December 2016 Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah[a] 15 Jul 1953[27] Alive
15 (XV) —[b]  Kelantan — Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan —
16 (XVI) Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah  Pahang 31 January 2019 30 January 2024 Sultan Abdullah of Pahang 5 Aug 1960[30] Alive
17 (XVII) Raja Zarith Sofiah  Johor 31 January 2024 Incumbent Sultan Ibrahim of Johor 14 Aug 1959[31] Alive

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Tuanku Abdul Halim was the first and only Yang di-Pertuan Agong to reign twice.[26] Sultanah Haminah was his second wife from 1975 to his death and reigned alongside him as Raja Permaisuri Agong XIV as Sultanah Bahiyah had died in 2003.
  2. ^ Sultan Muhammad V reigned without a queen consort as his wife Sultanah Nur Diana Petra was not proclaimed as Sultanah of Kelantan until 2022. Shortly before his abdication in January 2019, it was reported that Muhammad V had married Oksana Voevodina, however the marriage was not officially acknowledged and Voevodina was not recognized as his consort.[28][29]

References

  1. ^ "MyGOV - the Government of Malaysia's Official Portal".
  2. ^ Azmi, Hadi [@amerhadiazmi] (31 January 2024). "According to Istana Negara, the Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong are to be officially referred to as King and Queen of Malaysia. Foreign press has often referred to the positions as such for the benefit of our foreign audience, but I think this is first time it's made official?" (Tweet). Retrieved 31 January 2024 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ "Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah Queen of Malaysia". myGOV. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Act 269 - Civil List Act 1982" (PDF). Attorney-General Chamber. AGC Malaysia. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Senarai Raja Permaisuri Agong". majlisraja-raja.gov.my. Pejabat Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  6. ^ Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (2003). "Yang di-Pertuan Agong I". malaysianmonarchy.org.my. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007.
  7. ^ Farahi Kamaruddin (4 December 2018). "Tunku Puan Besar Kurshiah Permaisuri Penuh Bakti". The Patriots Asia. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  8. ^ Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (2003). "Yang di-Pertuan Agong II". malaysianmonarchy.org.my. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007.
  9. ^ Selangor State Government. "Penerima Darjah Kebesaran 1973 DK". awards.selangor.gov.my. Archived from the original on 4 January 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  10. ^ Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (2003). "Yang di-Pertuan Agong III". Malaysian Monarchy. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 10 December 2006.
  11. ^ "Raja Perempuan Besar Perlis dies". The Star (Malaysia). 28 November 2008. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  12. ^ Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (2003). "Yang di-Pertuan Agong IV". malaysianmonarchy.org.my. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007.
  13. ^ BERNAMA (24 January 2015). "Tengku Ampuan Intan Zaharah mangkat, Terengganu berkabung 40 hari". Astro Awani. Archived from the original on 15 May 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  14. ^ Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (2003). "Yang di-Pertuan Agong V". malaysianmonarchy.org.my. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007.
  15. ^ "Sultanah of Kedah dies". The Star (Malaysia). 26 August 2003. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  16. ^ a b Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (2003). "Yang di-Pertuan Agong VI". malaysianmonarchy.org.my. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007.
  17. ^ Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (2003). "Yang di-Pertuan Agong VII". malaysianmonarchy.org.my. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007.
  18. ^ BERNAMA (23 May 2019). "Almarhum Sultan Ahmad Shah selamat disemadikan". Astro Awani. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  19. ^ Ain Najhan (18 March 2019). "Mengenang Almarhum Tengku Puan Zanariah". Astro Awani. Archived from the original on 3 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  20. ^ "Bonda Tiri Sultan Johor mangkat". Berita Harian. 18 March 2019. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  21. ^ Iskandar Zulqarnain (18 April 2019). "Tuanku Bainun dari guru ke Raja Permaisuri Perak". Orang Perak. Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  22. ^ "Tunku Ampuan Najihah dies". www.nst.com.my. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  23. ^ Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (2003). "Yang di-Pertuan Agong XI". malaysianmonarchy.org.my. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007.
  24. ^ Perlis State Government. "DYMM Tengku Fauziah — Simbol kemesraan rakyat Perlis". perlisroyalty.perlis.gov.my. Archived from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  25. ^ K. Suthakar (26 April 2007). "Kind, gentle Queen". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  26. ^ Bernama (14 October 2011). "Kedah Sultan To Be Next King, For The Second Time". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  27. ^ "Kedah's new Sultanah crowned". The Star (Malaysia). 10 January 2004. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  28. ^ "Has former Miss Moscow Oksana Voevodina married Malaysia's king Sultan Muhammad V?", Business Insider, 3 December 2018, archived from the original on 23 July 2019, retrieved 25 July 2019 – via South China Morning Post
  29. ^ "Mahathir says can't confirm if Malaysian King has married, as widely reported on social media". The Straits Times. 30 November 2018. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  30. ^ Bernama (29 January 2019). "Biodata Tengku Ampuan Pahang kelima". Berita Harian. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  31. ^ The Star (31 January 2024). "Biodata of Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia". The Star. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.