PEKAN: Tengku Puan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Almarhum Sultan Iskandar was today proclaimed as the new Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, 31 years after the title was last bestowed.
The proclamation was made by the Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at a ceremony steeped in tradition at Balairung Seri, Istana Abu Bakar here.
Tunku Azizah is the fifth Tengku Ampuan Pahang of the modern Pahang sultanate.
The proclamation ceremony began when the Tengku Muda of Pahang, Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah read out the ascension of Tunku Azizah as the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang as decreed by the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Riáyatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
It read: “That His Highness the Sultan and state ruler has empowered me under Clause 1, Article 12(a) of the First Schedule of the Pahang State Constitution to proclaim his consort Tunku Azizah Maimunah binti Almarhum Almutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Alhaj as the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang effective Jan 22 2019, corresponding to 16 Jamadil Awal 1440 Hijrah.
The instrument of proclamation was then presented to Sultan Abdullah at the Royal Dais before Tunku Azizah rose to accept it.
Tunku Azizah who was born on Aug 5 1960, is the fourth child of Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Almarhum Sultan Ismail and Enche’ Besar Hajah Kalsom Abdullah.
Tunku Azizah married Sultan Abdullah who was then the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang on March 6, 1986 and have four princes and five princesses.
The title of the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang is specially accorded to the consort of the reigning ruler or sultan who is of royal blood as provided for in the Pahang State Constitution.
Before her, the first Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, was Tengku Ampuan Fatimah Tun Muhammad who was the consort of the Sultan Pahang I, Sultan Ahmad Al-Mu’adzam Shah followed by Tengku Ampuan Besar Meriam binti Sultan Abu Bakar Johor (the consort Sultan Pahang II , Sultan Mahmud).
The next Tengku Ampuan of Pahang was Tengku Ampuan Besar Fatimah Sultan Alang Iskandar Shah (the consort of Sultan Pahang IV, Sultan Abu Bakar Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mu’adzam Shah) and Tengku Ampuan Afzan Tengku Panglima Perang Muhammad ( Sultan Pahang V, Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah).
The consort Sultan Pahang III, Sultan Abdullah Al-Mu’tassim Billah was not proclaimed as the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang as she was not of royal blood.
The title of Sultanah Kalsom (the consort of Sultan Ahmad Shah) was created for her and it was not provided for in Pahang State Contitution. -- BERNAMA