ALOR STAR: Tunku Temenggong of Kedah, Tan Sri Tunku Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah, was officially proclaimed Raja Muda (Crown Prince of Kedah) during a royal ceremony at Istana Anak Bukit here today.
The ceremony at Balai Penghadapan saw Tunku Sallehuddin reading his oath before Sultan of Kedah Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and Sultanah of Kedah Haminah Hamidun.
Sultan Abdul Halim later handed a "Keris Kebesaran Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Raja Muda Kedah" to Tunku Sallehuddin as a symbolic token of the coronation ceremony.
Tunku Sallehuddin, 74, is the younger brother of Sultan Abdul Halim.
He was born in April 1942 in Alor Star and raised at Istana Anak Bukit.
Upon completing his Senior Cambridge, Tunku Sallehuddin underwent a one-year military training stint with the Indian Military Academy in 1962.
Tunku Sallehuddin was subsequently awarded the title of Lieutenant and was absorbed by the Royal Malay Regiment (RAMD), with his first posting being in Pengakalan Chepa, Kelantan.
He is married to Tunku Puan Temenggong of Kedah, Puan Sri Tengku Maliha Tengku Ariff Tengku Ariff, who is also a member of Kelantan royalty.
The royal couple is blessed with two sons, Datuk Tunku Sarafudin Badlishah and Datuk Tunku Shazuddin Ariff.
The ceremony was attended by members of the royal family, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah and state legislative assembly speaker Datuk Md Rozai Safian.