WHEN Pahang’s Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah was proclaimed Tengku Mahkota Pahang recently, the young prince kneeled down and kissed the right knees of his father and mother.
The 23-year-old raised his palms to his forehead 24 times in a standing and seated position as he performed the ‘menjunjung duli’ ceremony to pay allegience to the reigning monarch.
He looked every bit the respectful son with a deep understanding of royal Malay customs. But the poignant moment when he kissed his parents’ hands and cheeks before kneeling down to kiss their knees showed humility on the part of the younger generation of Malay royalty.
With a degree in International Relations from the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations and a current stint as trainee at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Tengku Hassanal represents a new breed of royals who are making their mark in the world.
Raja Sarina Iskandar, who is the daughter of Raja Di-Hilir Perak Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Sultan Idris Shah, described Tengku Hassanal’s decorum in performing the ‘menjunjung duli’ ceremony on Jan 29 as part and parcel of the time-honoured traditions in Malay royal households.
“What the Tengku Mahkota Pahang did was a beautiful display of ‘adab’ (manners). Even a crown prince has to know his place and show respect to his sultan and father.
“I do think it’s important for royals to uphold tradition because our traditions are not meaningless. They are steeped in history. There is a story behind each tradition we practise from the clothes we wear to the vocabulary that we use in our ‘bahasa istana’,” said Raja Sarina, 27.
She said it was important for young members of royalty to appreciate customs and traditions of their respective royal houses as such traditions continue to be practised for a reason.
“If we don’t appreciate it, the next generation certainly won’t. Our history is a part of our identity and if we don’t have a strong sense of who we are, anyone can recreate our identity into something we are not,” she said.
Raja Sarina’s father is the son of Perak’s Sultan Idris Shah. Her mother is Tunku Soraya Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, who is a princess in the Kedah royal family.
Many young royals in the country are continuing the legacy of their long lineage, and they are embracing their responsibilities in their own unique way.
They have embraced social media and use platforms such as Instagram to share their interests and passions.
Most of the Malaysian blue bloods are practitioners in various fields such as sports, charity work, education, women’s issues and the arts.
Among the notable young royals who have excelled in their chosen field is Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.
As a prince who always speaks his mind, Tunku Ismail, who is a former president of the Football Association of Malaysia and owner of the Darul Ta’zim football club, has transformed the sport in his home state.
His younger sister Tunku Tun Aminah has a large following among youths due to her deep interest in the arts, animal activism and elegant fashion sense.
As Darul Ta’zim FC president, she holds the distinction of being the first female football club president in the country.
Achievements by women royal figures throughout the years have inspired many from the younger breed of royalty.
Raja Sarina said that growing up in the royal households of Perak and Kedah taught her many lifelong lessons, particularly from the women in her family.
“The strength and finesse of my grandmothers in the face of public scrutiny were surreal to me because they juggled their responsibilities as Queen, wife and mother without any complaints, so I never quite understood how they were able to be so selfless.
“Observing their ways, however, I’ve always tried my best to emulate all of their positive traits such as commitment, humility and generosity.”
Her large family from both royal households always insisted that all their offspring excelled in their respective careers and carried out their duties with humility.
“My late grandfather, Almarhum Sultan Abdul Halim, wanted very normal lives for his grandchildren.
We were expected to be good in school and graduate so we could begin our respective careers.
“My grandparents from both sides never raised us to view our family lineage as superior so I never grew up seeing my family background as anything out of the ordinary.
“Now that I’m older and know a lot more on the contributions both royal households have made to their respective states and nation, I’ve developed a much deeper appreciation for my roots.
“I know I’ve a lot to live up to,” said Raja Sarina, a trained journalist who currently works as a freelance writer and research assistant.
Her writings on her website www.dearsarina.com, offer an honest take on issues such as responsibility, work, life, mental health and travel.
Other stand-out young royals include Raja Muda Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who is Selangor Football Association president and his elder sister Tengku Zatashah, who is a 2018 Women Empowerment Year campaign icon.
Two Negri Sembilan princes have blazed trails in the corporate sector and public policy research. Tunku Besar Seri Menanti Tunku Ali Redhauddin Tuanku Muhriz is a former Khazanah Nasional Bhd senior vice president, while his younger brother Tunku Zain
Al-’Abidin is the founding president of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas).