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
Spouse	Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah
Issue
Tengku Nadhirah Zaharah Tengku Muhammad Ismail Tengku Muhammad Mua'az Tengku Fatimatuz Zahra'
Father	Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah
Mother	Sharifa Nong Fatima binti Sayyid Abdullah, Tengku Besar Terengganu
Born	22 January 1962 (1962-01-22) (age 49) Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
Religion	Sunni Islam

Duli Yang Maha Mulia Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah (Jawi: الواثق بالله توانكو سلطان ميزان زين العابدين ابن المرحم سلطان محمود المكتفي بالله شاه, born 22 January 1962) is the 16th Sultan of the state of Terengganu, Malaysia, and the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional head-of-state of Malaysia.

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. He is the first YDP born after Malaysia's independence. Sharifa's family is of Arab descent, from Syed Omar Aljunied, one of the modern pioneers of Singapore.^[1]

Tuanku Mizan studied at Sultan Sulaiman Primary School and Sultan Sulaiman Secondary School, 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, finishing the course of Cadet Officer on 9 December 1983. Mizan was commissioned as Honorary Lieutenant in 1984 and served in the Royal Cavalry.

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

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.

Mizan became the youngest Malay ruler when he was appointed as the Sultan of Terengganu on the 15 May 1998 following the death of his father, Sultan Mahmud. Mizan was crowned as the 16th Sultan of Terengganu on the 4 March 1999. He has the unusual distinction of simultaneously being the 31st and 51st longest-reigning current monarch (as the Sultan of Terengganu as well as Yang di-Pertuan Agong).

From 1991 to 1995, Mizan was President of the Council for Islam and Malay Culture of Terengganu. Mizan served as an Honorary Colonel in the Royal Armour.

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. after the 2008 general elections. In the formation of the new Terengganu state government, the federal government under Prime Minister Abdullah recommended Idris Jusoh as Menteri Besar, who received full support of twenty-three 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]

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 who have supported Idris Jusoh candidacy for Menteri Besar.^[4] Ahmad Said was subsequently stripped of his UMNO membership "for disobeying the party's leadership".^[5]

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 Chief Minister of Terengganu. He also apologised to the King for the public spat over the appointment of the mentri besar, explaining that there was no intention to disparage or humiliate the royal household. This apparent backdown was due to threat 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 22 Umno state assemblymen.^[6]

Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Mizan was appointed Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the 26 April 1999 after Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, the Sultan of Selangor was elected the 11th Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Following the death of Salahuddin, Mizan became Acting YDP on 21 November 2001.

Mizan was appointed Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the 13 December 2001 after the Conference of Rulers elected Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail as the 12th YDP.

Mizan served as the first Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) (2001–2006).

Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Mizan kissing the Quran at his investiture ceremony as the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. With him is the Queen Consort, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah.

On 3 November 2006, Mizan was elected by the Conference of Rulers to become the 13th YDP, with his five-year term starting 13 December 2006. The Conference of Rulers appointed Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah as the Deputy YDP. 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.^[7][8]

Mizan, 44, is the second youngest YDP after Tuanku Syed Putra Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail of Perlis, who was elected at age 41. He is also the first King born after Malaysian Independence Day.

Marriage and family

Mizan married Sultanah Nur Zahirah on 28 January 1996 in Kuala Terengganu. She is the second consort (Raja Permaisuri Agong) who daily wears 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 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 is headed by Raja Tengku Baderulzaman, Sultan Mizan’s younger brother. The other members are Sultan Mizan’s uncle Tengku Sri Laksamana Raja Tengku Sulaiman Ismail and former Federal Court judge Dato' Haji Abdul Kadir Sulaiman.

During his older days, Sultan Mizan liked to play football (known as soccer in the United States). Sultan Mizan is active in football, golf, taekwondo,endurance riding and scuba diving. The Global Taekwondo Federation awarded Mizan an Honorary 7th Degree Black Belt in recognition of his active participation in the art.

Titles

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.

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 in Kuala Terengganu

Others

• Yayasan DiRaja Sultan Mizan (YDSM) or Sultan Mizan Royal Foundation

References