Sultanah Hajah Bahiyah binti Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman ( ms, سلطانة حاجة باهية بنت المرحوم توانكو عبدالرحمن, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 24 August 1930 – 26 August 2003) was the Sultanah of Malaysian State of Kedah (1959–2003) and served as the fifth Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia from 21 September 1970 until 20 September 1975.

Early life

Tunku Bahiyah was born on 24 August 1930 in Seri Menanti,

Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan'') is a state in Malaysia which lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the s ...

. She was the eldest daughter of Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad and his third wife Tunku Kurshiah binti Almarhum Tunku Besar Burhanuddin, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and the Tunku Ampuan Besar of

, who were then elected as the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia. She received her education at a Malay School in Seri Menanti and the Seremban Convent School. She later furthered her studies in the United Kingdom and received a degree in Social Science from University of Nottingham.

Marriage

Tunku Bahiyah married Tuanku Al-Mutassimu Billahi Muhibbudin Sultan Abdul Halim Al-Muadzam Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah of Kedah in 1956. The royal couple adopted the twin daughters of Tunku Hamidah (Tuanku Abdul Halim's eldest sister), Tunku Soraya and Tunku Sarina (born 30 April 1960, adopted 3 May 1960). Bahiyah gave birth to a daughter, Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz, on 22 July 1966. Tunku Soraya would go on to marry

Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain ibni Almarhum Sultan Idris Iskandar Al-Mutawakkil Alallahi Shah Afifullah (born 8 February 1955) is the ''Raja Di-Hilir'' (Deputy Crown Prince) of Perak and the second in the line of succession to the throne of the M ...

(the current ''Raja Di-Hilir'' of Perak) in 1986. Tunku Sarina passed away on 31 August 1991.

Becoming Queen

In 1958, Tuanku Abdul Halim became

Sultan of Kedah The Kedah Sultanate (كسلطانن قدح) is a Muslim dynasty located in the Malay Peninsula. It was originally an independent state, but became a British protectorate in 1909. Its monarchy was abolished after it was added to the Malayan Uni ...

. Tunku Bahiyah was installed as the Sultanah of Kedah on his ascension to the throne. From 1970 to 1975, she served her five-year term as Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia when Tuanku Abdul Halim became the fifth Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Death

Sultanah Bahiyah died in her sleep at 12:23 pm of cancer and old age on 26 August 2003 at Istana Kuala Cegar,

Alor Setar Alor Setar ( Jawi: الور ستار, Kedahan: ''Loqstaq'') is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia. It is the second-largest city in the state after Sungai Petani and one of the most-important cities on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia ...

. She was laid to rest at the Langgar Royal Mausoleum in

Awards and recognition

Sultanah Bahiyah was conferred various awards, both locally and abroad. In 1970, Emperor Hirohito of

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

awarded her the First Class of the

Order of the Sacred Treasure The is a Japanese order, established on 4 January 1888 by Emperor Meiji as the Order of Meiji. Originally awarded in eight classes (from 8th to 1st, in ascending order of importance), since 2003 it has been awarded in six classes, the lowest ...

. Later in the same year, President Suharto of Indonesia awarded her the First Class of the Order of the Star of Mahaputera. In 1973, King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand awarded her the Grand Cross of the

Order of Chula Chom Klao The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์จุลจอมเกล้า; ) was established on 16 November 1873 by King Chulalongkorn, Rama V of The Thailand, Kingdom of ...

. Sultanah Bahiyah was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education by the University of Malaya where she served as the Chancellor from 1972 until 1986. The general hospital in

which is also the main referral and tertiary health centre in Northern Peninsular Malaysia was renamed in her honour to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital. There is a highway in

, Sultanah Bahiyah Highway ( Federal Route ) was named after her. SMK Sultanah Bahiyah, a secondary school in Alor Setar was named after her. Sultanah Bahiyah Mosque, a mosque in Alor Setar was named after her. Tuanku Bahiyah Residential College, a residential college at University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur was named in honour of her.

Social contributions

Tuanku Hajah Bahiyah was the patron of various organisations such as: * Kedah Orchid Association * Blood Donors Association of Malaysia * Family Planning Association of Kedah * Children’s Welfare Organisation of Kedah * Islamic Women’s Welfare Organisation of Kedah * Lioness Club of Kedah * Netball Association of Kedah * Women’s Association of Universiti Utara Malaysia (SUTRANITA) * Nottingham Graduates Association * Ex-Servicemen Widows and Wives Association (BAKIABAH) * Kedah Association for the Disabled * Kedah Thalassaemia Association * Association of Sultanah Bahiyah Secondary School Students

Honours

She has been awarded:

Honours of Kedah

Member of the Royal Family Order of Kedah (DK, 29 February 1964) * MY-KED Halimi Family Order of Kedah (DKH)

Member of the Halimi Family Order of Kedah (DKH, January 1976) * Knight Grand Commander of the

Exalted Order of the Crown of Kedah The Exalted Order of the Crown of Kedah (Bahasa Melayu: ''Darjah Yang Maha Mulia Sri Mahkota Kedah'') is an honorific order of the Sultanate of Kedah History It was founded by Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah on 21 February 1964. Classes It is a ...

(SPMK, 19 February 1971)

Honours of Malaysia

* : ** Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (SMN) - Tun (19 February 1959) ** Recipient of the

Order of the Crown of the Realm The Most Exalted Order of the Crown of the Realm ( ms, Darjah Utama Seri Mahkota Negara) is a Malaysian federal award. It is ranked lower than the Order of the Royal Family of Malaysia. It should not be confused with the Order of Loyalty to the ...

(DMN) (19 February 1971) * : ** Most Esteemed Royal Family Order of Johor - ribbon bar

First Class Member of the Royal Family Order of Johor (DK I) (February 1989) * : ** MY-KEL Royal Family Order - Star of Yunus - DK

Recipient of the Royal Family Order or ''Star of Yunus'' (DK, August 1996) * : ** MY-NEG Royal Family Order of Negeri Sembilan - DKNS

Member of the Royal Family Order of Negeri Sembilan (DKNS, August 1996)

Foreign Honours

* : **

1st Class of the

Star of Mahaputera A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma held together by its gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night, but their immense distances from Earth make ...

(''Bintang Mahaputera Adipurna'') (16 March 1970) * Imperial State of Iran : ** Order of the Pleiades Ribbon Bar - Imperial Iran