Her Majesty Tuanku Bainun, From Educator to Raja Permaisuri of Perak
The people of Perak are truly fortunate to have great leaders who always care for their subjects. By divine providence, there are also individuals from among the common people who have been fortunate enough to ascend the throne of the state of Perak alongside the Sultan to protect and lead the state.
This time, in conjunction with Teachers' Day, orangperak.com wishes to share the story of a legendary heroine in the history of the Perak Sultanate, who began her journey as an educator before becoming the Raja Permaisuri of Perak. She is Her Majesty Tuanku Bainun Ali. Tuanku Siti Bainun binti Mohd Ali was born on 7 November 1932 in Penang. She served as the 9th Raja Permaisuri Agong and the 34th Raja Permaisuri of Perak. Tuanku Siti Bainun was the daughter of Mohd Ali bin Man and Che Putih, and was one of seven siblings. Her Majesty received her early education at St. George’s Girls' School, Penang, and later continued her studies at the Kirkby Teachers' College, Liverpool, Britain, from 1952 to 1954.
She decided to continue her studies at the Kirkby Teachers' College, Liverpool, England, because in 1952, the Federation of Malaya government was sending and funding a group of students interested in becoming educators. In England, they were trained to become teachers to serve the nation and country upon their return home.
While at Kirkby College, Tuanku Bainun was an excellent student and very active in student activities. Being in a foreign country made her more independent. As a young woman active in sports, she was a member of the Kirkby College hockey team. Her disciplined family background made her well-liked by her multi-ethnic peers who were also studying in England.
The story of Tuanku Bainun's life changed when she joined a college trip to London. Upon the arrival of the Kirkby students at Heathrow Airport, London, in 1952, they were welcomed by a group of Malayan students studying there. One of them was a prince from Perak, His Highness Raja Azlan Shah Ibni Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin, the youngest son of the Sultan of Perak, who was studying at the University of Nottingham at the time. Her meeting with Raja Azlan Shah sparked love at first sight, which eventually blossomed into a deep romance between the two. Her Majesty Tuanku Bainun married Sultan Azlan Muhibbudin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yusuff Izzudin Shah (then known as Raja Azlan) in 1955. At that time, Sultan Azlan was a Magistrate in Kuala Lumpur. Tuanku Bainun continued her career as a teacher, returning to teach at her former school. Tuanku Bainun was blessed with five beautiful children, two sons and three daughters.
Her Majesty Tuanku Bainun served as a teacher for 22 years, teaching with excellence at several schools in Kuala Lumpur, Seremban, Raub, Taiping, and Kuantan. In recognition of her contributions to society and the field of education, Liverpool John Moores University honored Tuanku Bainun with the award of 'A Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University'. From 1960 to 1962, she took unpaid leave. During this period, she gave birth to two daughters, Raja Eleena Binti Raja Azlan Shah on 3 April 1960, and her youngest daughter, Raja Yong Sofia Binti Raja Azlan Shah, on 24 June 1961. In 1963, the couple, who had five children, returned to Kuala Lumpur. She resumed her service at Sekolah Seri Ampang, Jalan Ampang, until her retirement. Her final position as an educator was Senior Assistant at Sekolah Seri Ampang. She decided to retire early in 1979 after 22 years of teaching. She was 47 years old at the time and was the wife of the Lord President of the Federal Court, Tan Sri Raja Azlan Shah.
By the will of Allah, in 1984, the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Idris Shah II, passed away. His Royal Highness Raja Azlan Shah was then appointed as the 34th Sultan of Perak, and simultaneously, Tuanku Bainun, who was then titled Che Puan Besar Bainun, was proclaimed as Her Majesty Raja Permaisuri of Perak Tuanku Bainun at the age of 52. Who would have thought that an educator would eventually become the Raja Permaisuri? Then, in 1989, the Sultan of Perak was elected and installed by the Conference of Rulers as the 9th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and Her Majesty Tuanku Bainun was also installed as the 9th Raja Permaisuri Agong. After completing her five-year term at the Istana Negara, in 1993, they both returned to the state of Perak Darul Ridzuan. She was the first commoner to be appointed as Raja Permaisuri Agong.
Her Majesty Tuanku Bainun sat on the throne of Perak as the Raja Permaisuri of Perak until the passing of Sultan Azlan Shah, who had stolen her heart long ago. Sultan Azlan passed away on 28 May 2014 at the age of 86, after 59 years of life with his beloved wife, Tuanku Bainun. The Perak Council of the Royal Court bestowed the title of Raja Permaisuri upon Tuanku Siti Bainun binti Mohd Ali, with the title Her Majesty Raja Permaisuri Tuanku Siti Bainun binti Mohd Ali, by the 35th Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizuddin Shah ibni Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, who is also her eldest son, following the passing of His Majesty the late Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah Al-Ghafarullahu-lah on 28 May 2014.
Her Majesty Tuanku Bainun is very fond of flowers and has been honored by having three types of orchids named after her: the Chiritiera (Chtra) Permaisuri Bainun, the Dendrobium (Den) Tuanku Bainun, and the Renantanda (Rntda) Tuanku Bainun. The Ipoh General Hospital in Perak was also renamed to
Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital
.
Her Majesty is also the patron of several charitable organizations and associations in Perak, namely the Perak Women's Basketball Association, the Perak Women's Badminton Association, the Girl Guides Association, the Perak Women's Hockey Association, and PERKIM. To this day, she remains very concerned about the welfare of the people. May Allah bless her and grant her health and a long life, Tuanku Bainun.
