Alor Star - The golden jubilee celebration to commemorate the 50-year reign of the Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Sultan Badlishah Tuesday marks 972 years of the glorious sultanate which dated back to the era of Sultan Muzaffar Shah in 1136.
Sultan Abdul Halim would be the fourth among 28 sultans of Kedah -- the oldest sultanate in the world -- who celebrated the golden jubliee while on the throne.
Three others were the eighth sultan, Sultan Ataullah Muhammad Shah (1423-1473); the 19th sultan, Sultan Zainal Adilin Mu‘adzam Shah (1710-1778); and the 26th sultan, Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah (1882-1943).
Looking back, the sultanate administrative centre was first set up in Kota Bukit Meriam (1136-1236) before it was shifted to Kota Sungai Emas (1236-1323), Kota Siputih (1323-1626), Kota Naga (1626-1654), Kota Sena (1654-1664), Kota Bukit Pinang (1687-1735) and finally Kota Star (1735 untill today).
Born at Istana Bukit Palace on Nov 28, 1927, Sultan Abdul Halim received his early education at the Sekolah Melayu Alor Merah and Sekolah Melayu Titi Gajah before joining the Sultan Abdul Hamid College where he stayed at the college‘s hostel from 1946 to 1949.
He went on to pursue his studies at the Wadham College, Oxford University in 1949 and obtained a diploma in Social Science and Public Administration in 1952.
While studying in the United Kingdom, he was appointed the Raja Muda or heir apparent on Aug 6, 1949.
He subsequently joined the Kedah administrative service, serving in the Alor Star district office in 1955, and later the state treasury.
Between March 9, 1957 and July 3, 1957, he was appointed acting sultan when his father, Sultan Badlishah Sultan Abdul Hamid went overseas.
Sultan Abdul Halim succeeded as the 28th Sultan of Kedah on his father‘s death on July 15, 1958.
He was installed as the Sultan of Kedah on Feb 20, 1959 while the late Tuanku Bahiyah Tuanku Abdul Rahman as the Sultanah of Kedah.
Sultan Abdul Halim, who has an office at Wisma Darulaman, observes the office hours by working there from 8am.
He married Sultanah Bahiyah in 1956 and they have three daughters -- Tunku Soraya, 44, Tunku Sarina (died on Aug 31, 1991) and Tunku Datuk Seri Intan Safinaz, 39.
In 1975, he married Sultanah Haminah Hamidun.
Meanwhile, Kedah state secretary Datuk Wira Syed Unan Mashri Syed Abdullah said a 20ha public park would be built to commemorate the occasion.
"The glorious era of the Tuanku (His Royal Highness) as well as the 27 previous sultans spanning almost 1,000 years will be carved on stones and inscriptions at the park," said Syed Unan Mashri who is also the sultan‘s private secretary.
Source: http://www.bernama.com.my (July 14, 2008)