Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor

Infobox_Monarch | name =Sultan Sharafuddin
title =Sultan of Selangor


caption =Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Al-Haj

reign =21 November, 2001 - Present
coronation =March 2003
predecessor =Sultan Salahuddin
successor =
suc-type =Raja Muda
heir =Tengku Amir Shah
consort =
issue =Tengku Zerafina
Tengku Zatashah
Tengku Amir Shah
royal house =
royal anthem =
father =Sultan Salahuddin
mother =Raja Shaidatul Ihsan
date of birth =Birth date and age|1945|12|24|df=y
place of birth =Klang, Selangor
date of death =
place of death =
buried =|

In full, Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Al-Haj also known as Sultan Sharafuddin or Sultan Idris Shah is the current Sultan of Selangor, Malaysia. He ascended the throne on 21 November 2001.

He is the son of the previous Sultan, the late Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz.

Background

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah was born Tengku Idris Shah on 24 December 1945 at Istana Jema'ah Klang Selangor (presently the Klang Islamic College) and is the eldest son of 10 children of the late Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Alhaj and Raja Shaidatul Ihsan Binti Tengku Badar Shah, also known as Raja Lat, with the title Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Bonda Raja Selangor.

He received his early education at the Malay Primary School, Jalan Raja Muda, Kuala Lumpur and St. John's Institution Primary School from 1954 to 1959. His Royal Highness then continued his secondary education at Hale School in Perth, Australia in 1960 before proceeding to England to further his education at the Langhurst College in Surrey in 1964.

On September 3rd, 1960 at the age of 15, he was proclaimed and gazetted as the Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Selangor. The installation ceremony was held in Istana Alam Shah, Klang on March 14, 1970, thus he became the eighth Raja Muda of Selangor.

On his return from England in 1968 after completing his studies. Sultan Sharafuddin has held several posts in the Selangor State and Federal Government Administrative Services. He was attached to the Selangor State Secretariat, the District Office and the Royal Malaysian Police Department in Kuala Lumpur and has gained wide experience and knowledge in the fields of administration.

Becoming Sultan

On November 22, 2001, after the demise of his father Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Tengku Idris Shah officially became the 9th Sultan of Selangor with the title "Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah". Prior to that, Tengku Idris was the Regent of Selangor from 1999 as his father was serving as Yang di-Pertuan Agong when he died.

His son Tengku Amir Shah was made the Raja Muda of Selangor in March 2002.

Royal family

He has 2 daughters, Tengku Zerafina and Tengku Zatashah from his first marriage to a Malay royal. His second marriage to a converted American gave him a son, Tengku Amir Shah ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, whom he recently made the Raja Muda of Selangor in 2002.

The Sultan is currently divorced, unmarried and without a consort.

Interest and hobbies

Sultan Sharafuddin is extremely interested in art, and has a very good collection of art works by local and Asian artists. His other hobbies include reading, yachting, photographing, collecting stamps and traditional Malay weapons (keris). Presently, he is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees Yayasan Seni Selangor (Selangor Art Foundation) and Galeri Shah Alam.

ports

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah was also actively involved in sports. A keen sportsman and an ardent supporter of Football Association of Selangor (FAS), In recognition of his great interest and support of the Association, he was appointed as Chairman of the Semi-Pro Football Association and was made an Honorary Life President of the Football Association of Selangor.

Sultan Sharafuddin is also active in adventurous sports such as sailing, vintage cars and mountain climbing. The most prestigious vintage car race that he has participated and achieved was the "Peking to Paris Challenge" in 1997. The race was a 16,000 kilometer distance that took 43 days driving through 13 countries (China, Mongolia, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and France). He received the Silver Medal under the Vintage Car Class.

In the years 1995-1996, he created history for Selangor by sailing on world circumnavigation with his yacht "S.Y. Jugra" for 21 months (27,940 nautical miles) which made him the first Malay from the Royal Family to achieve the challenge.

Prior to becoming Regent for his father, Raja Muda Idris Shah enjoyed touring the American West on his motorcycle, which he kept in San Francisco.

ocial contributions

Sultan Sharafuddin was also awarded honorary memberships and fellowships and appointed as patrons by various organisations, associations, councils, clubs, societies and foundations.

In the academic fields, He was appointed the Pro-Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) on May 20, 2000. On March 31, 2001 Universiti Teknologi MARA conferred him the honorary degree of 'Doctor of Public Administration'. And on April 1st. 2002, he was appointed as the 'Chancellor' of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).