Sallehuddin of Kedah

Al-Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah (Jawi: ; 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. As the fourth son of Badlishah of Kedah that lived to adulthood, he was initially not expected to inherit the throne.

Biography Sultan Sallehuddin was born (as Tunku Mahmud Sallehuddin) and raised in Istana Anak Bukit, Alor Setar, Kedah. He was the ninth of 14 siblings, to Sultan Badlishah, the 27th Sultan of Kedah, and Sultanah Asma, daughter of Sultan Sulaiman of Terengganu.

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.

During his service, Sallehuddin had been involved in several security operations at the border areas with Thailand.

As Raja Muda, Sallehuddin held a number of important positions including as chancellor of the Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences and president of the Kedah Islamic Religious Council. 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 sobriquet Al-Aminul Karim in a televised ceremony, the first since 1959, at the Istana Anak Bukit's Balai Besar.

The coronation ceremony was attended by the Crown Prince of Brunei, Al-Muhtadee Billah and his wife, Crown Princess Sarah, on behalf of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, whose son, Mukhriz Mahathir, was the state's former Chief Minister.

As per his duties as sultan and head of the state of Kedah, he currently serves as the Colonel-in-chief of the Royal Malay Regiment.

Marriage and children Sultan Sallehuddin and Sultanah Maliha married on 26 November 1965 and have two sons: His Royal Highness Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah, the current Raja Muda of Kedah (Crown Prince) His Royal Highness Tunku Shazuddin Ariff, the current Tunku Mahkota of Kedah (Deputy Crown Prince) and second line of heir apparent

Titles, styles, orders and recognitions

The full title and style of Sultan Sallehuddin is:

Honours of Kedah

Order of Loyalty to the Royal House of Kedah

Malaysian Armed Forces