Tunku Zain Al’-Abidin, Founding President and Chairman of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Sharifah binti Salleh, IAC Principal and Centre Manager, and Mazrina Ariffin, Finance Director of IDEAS along with ambassadors and celebrities for IAC Autism Awareness Week during the photo session with the young children from Ideas Awareness Centre.
TUANKU Muhriz Tuanku Munawir was born on this day in 1948, in the royal town of Seri Menanti and is the only son of Tuanku Munawir Tuanku Abdul Rahman, the ninth Yang di- Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan, and his consort Tuanku Durah Tunku Besar Burhanuddin. The 11th Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan is also the grandson of the country’s first Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Rahman Tuanku Muhammad.
The Ruler was raised in Negri Sembilan, where he attended the Tuanku Muhammad School in Kuala Pilah, Tunku Besar School in Tampin and later King George V Secondary School in Seremban.
When Tuanku Muhriz was just 12 years old, the young prince was made Tunku Laxamana, second in rank among the Putera Yang Empat or four senior princes. Just a year later, he was bestowed the title of Tunku Besar Seri Menanti, the most senior rank among the four princes, a role he assumed until his ascension to the throne as Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan on Oct 26, 2009.
As a teenager, Tuanku Muhriz attended England’s prestigious Aldenham School, where he completed his O- and A-Levels.
It was at the school that the young prince explored his love for music, picking up the guitar and fronting a band called The Prince and the Paupers.
After Aldenham, the Ruler continued his tertiary education at the University of Wales at Aberystwyth (now Aberystwyth University) where he studied law and was a keen sportsman.
Armed with an LLB (Hons) from the university, Tuanku Muhriz returned to Malaysia and launched a career in the corporate world with stints in banking, finance and advertising.
Looking back on his university years, Tuanku Muhriz has said that Aberystwyth University played an important role in shaping his character and instilling in him values that he still holds dear today.
These values include a high standard for legal principles, natural justice, and the importance of doing what is proper.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun respectfully greeting Tuanku Muhriz and Tuanku Aishah Rohani at the opening of the state legislative assembly session.
Tuanku Muhriz was conferred an Honorary Fellowship by Aberystwyth University in 2014 for his contributions to the public and private sectors, as well as his tireless charitable initiatives.
On April 25, 1974, Tuanku Muhriz married Tuanku Aishah Rohani Tengku Besar Mahmud. The couple were blessed with three princes – Tunku Ali Redhauddin born in 1977, Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin born in 1982, and the youngest, Tunku Alif Hussein Saifuddin Al-Amin who was born in 1984.
The close-knit royal family was devastated when Tunku Alif, who was born with special needs, breathed his last on Jan 15, 2016.
Through their various roles and charity work, the royal couple and the princes continue to serve the needs of the underprivileged including at-risk children and people with disabilities.
As Chancellor of Universiti Islam Malaysia (USIM), Tuanku Aishah has helped transform the tertiary institution into a preferred choice for further studies, particularly among foreign students.
Tunku Ali who is the current Tunku Besar Seri Menanti, completed his GCSE and A-Levels at Marlborough College in Wiltshire, England and later attended Cambridge University where he read History and Social and Political Science.
Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd group chief executive officer Euan Smith (sixth from right), together with chairman Tunku Ali Redhauddin Muhriz (seventh from right), leading eager participants at the Rimba Kita Run flag off.
The prince also has a Master in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School, the public policy and public administration school of the prestigious Harvard University in the US.
Tunku Ali, like his parents, is passionate about education and serves as Pro-Chancellor of USIM and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
Tunku Ali is also the founding trustee of non-profit Teach for Malaysia. A senior advisor to global equity firm TPG Capital, the prince also sits on various boards including Malaysian satellite television and IPTV provider Astro and wildlife NGO WWF-Malaysia.
Among the causes close to Tunku Ali’s heart is Yayasan Munarah, one of the first charitable initiatives undertaken by the Negri Sembilan royal family after Tuanku Muhriz ascended the throne.
As chairman of Yayasan Munarah’s board of trustees, Tunku Ali ensures that less privileged and deserving members of the community, particularly students, receive financial assistance to pursue their dreams regardless of race or religion.
His younger brother, Tunku Zain, was also educated at Marlborough College. The prince has an honours degree in Sociology and Government, and an MSc in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
The prince is a keen pianist and the patron of Euroasia Association of Performing Arts, which is dedicated to the education, development and promotion of the performing arts in Malaysia.
Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin trying his skills at using the blowpipe at the Pesat Bola Ngoca event held in Kuala Pilah.
The founding president of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), the prince sits on the board of various corporations and non-profits including IDEAS Autism Centre, which focuses on early intervention, care and therapy for children with autism from low-income families.
Tunku Zain is a trustee of Yayasan Munarah, Yayasan Chow Kit and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, as well as the Pro-Chancellor of UCSI University and a Royal Fellow of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. He is also a newspaper columnist.
As president of the Negri Sembilan Squash Association, the prince has contributed to the development of the state’s sporting talent and continues to support next-generation squash champions.
