The Man Who Would Be Sultan

I like this news article on and about the current Sultan of Negeri Sembilan in a state of Malaysia.It was written by Dina Zaman and published in the Malaysian Insider on-line news portal today (15 January 2010). The interview with Tunku Zain Al-’Abidin ibni Tuanku Muhriz, his second son, was eye-opening.

I would do some abridging to the article to make it succinct.


"This is the heartening and inspirational story about a man and his family living under extraordinary circumstances.

Living a typical middle-class life — with a wife and three sons, one of whom is severely disabled — the man ploughed all his earnings into a stellar education for the two older sons, and medical and physical care for his youngest.

Then one day he receives the news that he is to be the new Yamtuan of Negeri Sembilan.

The installation of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir on Oct 26, 2009 was regally austere and yet filled with ceremony.

The installation itself was unusual, owing to its emphasis on the Adat Perpatih as there are many customs unique to Negri Sembilan. Regents, ministers and other dignitaries attended the installation of the ruler who was elected by the Undangs (four of the Ruling Chiefs of Negeri Sembilan) in December 2008.

So, how has the family dealt with the changes? Tunku Zain Al-’Abidin ibni Tuanku Muhriz (TZM), the second son of the Yamtuan, is the founder and president of a think tank, a columnist with an English daily, and a research fellow at the National University of Singapore. He speaks about this sudden change in his family’s life.

Let us read a Q and A Session between the Malaysian Insider and TZM.

Q: Did your family ever think that this (installation) would ever happen? Or was it just a dream that the family accepted might never happen?

A:There was a point in my childhood when I realised that my father, Tuanku, might one day be a ruler — I remember my classmates asking me about it at school and I didn’t really know what it was all about! We were like many other families in Malaysia trying to realise the Malaysian dream. We were lucky to attend excellent schools, but that’s because Tuanku believed in a good education. All my parents’ savings went to that: our schooling, so that we’d have careers and make something of ourselves.

What set our family apart was my younger brother Alif, who is severely handicapped and underwent a special programme that involved many members of the extended family and friends. My father was a businessman, and my mother had an active KL life: the Speakers’ Club, the Inner Wheel, her numerous hobbies and passions… although family life always was and will be her first priority.

The most visible evidence of our royal status was when we went back to Negri Sembilan during Hari Raya, or when my paternal grandmother (Tuanku Durah binte Tunku Besar Burhanuddin, the widow of Tuanku Munawir) came to visit. I remember being very confused about the different ways to salam and sembah. Once, I angkat tangan to my maternal grandmother (To’ Puan Zainun binte Haji Su Mahmud) and she scolded me!

Q: Has your life changed since your father’s proclamation?

A: When Tuanku Ja’afar passed away, and this was even before the Undangs met to decide, it struck me that as a family, we had never even discussed the possibility of our father becoming the Yamtuan. Of course I was happy when the Undangs elected my father to succeed Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar, who was a highly respected Ruler who oversaw massive development in Negeri Sembilan.

My own life has not really changed since I continue to pursue my career and my hobbies; it’s just that the calendar is now punctuated by numerous functions and ceremonies. The past few months have been particularly busy because we were working towards the installation in October. Many members of the extended family devoted much time and energy towards it, in addition to the resources committed by the government.

At first I was advised by many friends to be wary of people, and I didn’t realise why this was necessary, since I’m quite laid-back by nature. But then a few weeks after my father was elected, some group was claiming that I had agreed to be patron of a badminton tournament which I had never heard of!

Q: How is the monarchy relevant in this day and age?

A: Our monarchy plays many roles in the well-being of our nation: historical, cultural, constitutional. I have argued before that our monarchy is an important check and balance institution in our democracy — much like many other institutions created by the Federal and State Constitutions. The experience of several other countries proves that constitutional monarchs can be an effective part of a healthy democracy — in fact, most of the world’s most advanced democracies are constitutional monarchies.

Still, the reputation of many of our public institutions have received a battering in recent times, so our challenge is to convince the people that our actions are in the interests of the people. I would add that many Malaysian royals are far more middle class than many Malaysians realise. There are rich royals and poor royals, unemployed royals and professional royals, who work as executives, teachers, lawyers, small business owners — they share the same interests as many other Malaysians.

We’ve also just established a new foundation called Yayasan Munarah, which will focus on education and the creation of new opportunities for individuals and communities which have been left behind. Negri Sembilan, as Tuanku mentioned in his installation speech, has long been a place where people come to look for new opportunities. The Minangkabau migrations that occurred from the fourteenth century were followed by settlers from all over the region and the world. We hope that this openness and attractiveness continues.

After Tuanku’s installation, we went to Kuala Pilah for a dinner with the rakyat. It was utterly overwhelming to see the streets lined with thousands of people of all ethnicity and age groups coming to greet their new ruler. And, after Negri Sembilan beat Kelantan in the Malaysia Cup there were shouts of “Daulat Tuanku” and spontaneous singing of the state anthem. It was an unforgettable reminder of the most important function of a monarch: to serve and to unite the people.

Well said, my noble prince!