Al-Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah (Jawi: الأمين الکريم سلطان صالح الدين ابن المرحوم سلطان بدلي شاه; born 30 April 1942) is the 29th Sultan of Kedah since ascending to the throne in September 2017 upon the death of his elder half-brother Abdul Halim.[1] As the fourth son of Badlishah of Kedah, that lived to adulthood he was initially not expected to inherit the throne.
He was educated at the Alor Merah Malay School and continued his studies at the Sultan Abdul Hamid College. He graduated with a higher education from the College of Military Engineering, Poona in India.
Military career
Salehuddin's military career started when he underwent cadet training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun from 23 July 1962 to 30 June 1963. He was appointed Junior Lieutenant on 23 October 1963. On 12 February 1964, he was commissioned as a lieutenant and stationed with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment in Pengkalan Chepa, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. He was later promoted to the rank of colonel.[3]
During his service, Sallehuddin had been involved in several security operations at the border areas with Thailand.[3]
Tunku Temenggong of Kedah
Sallehuddin was proclaimed as Tunku Temenggong of Kedah on 28 November 1981. He became one of members of the Council of Regency when his eldest brother, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, served as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 2011 to 2016, and chaired the council after the death of his elder brother, Tunku Annuar, in 2014.
Raja Muda of Kedah
Sallehuddin was proclaimed as Raja Muda of Kedah on 15 December 2016. He replaced Tunku Abdul Malik who died of natural causes on 29 November 2015 at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar.[4]
Sallehuddin was proclaimed as the 29th Sultan of Kedah on 12 September 2017 at the Istana Anak Bukit by the Kedah Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah.[5] He succeeded his half-brother, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, upon his death on 11 September 2017. At the age of 75, he's the oldest monarch by the age at accession in South East Asia, surpassing King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand who ascended to the throne 11 months before at the age of 64. He's also the shortest serving heir-apparent for only 8 months 28 days before ascending to the Throne. He was officially enthroned as sultan on 22 October 2018 and was awarded the sobriquetAl-Aminul Karim in a televised ceremony, the first since 1959, at the Istana Anak Bukit's Balai Besar.
The full title and style of Sultan Sallehuddin is:
His Royal Highness Al-Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, D.K., D.K.H., D.K.S., D.M.N., D.U.K., D.K. (Kelantan)., D.K. (Johor)., D.K. (Perak)., D.K. (Selangor)., D.K. (Negeri Sembilan)., D.K. (Perlis)., D.K. (Pahang)., P.S.M., D.M.K., S.S.S.K., S.H.M.S., S.G.M.K., S.S.P.K., S.P.M.K., S.S.D.K., S.P.M.K. (Kelantan)., D.S.D.K., P.A.T., B.C.K., K.P.K., The Sultan and Sovereign Ruler of the State of Kedah Darul Aman