Raja Zarith Sofiah

Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Iskandar Al-Mutawakkil Alallahi Shah Afifullah (born 14 August 1959) is the Permaisuri (Queen consort) of Johor. She was born as a member of the Perak Royal Family. While still attending Somerville College, Oxford, she married the heir to the throne of Johor. Now a mother of six, she participates in the work of non-governmental organisations and universities, and writes a periodical column for a newspaper.

Zarith Sofiah
Permaisuri of Johor
Raja Zarith in 2015
Queen consort of Johor
Tenure23 January 2010 – present
Coronation23 March 2015
PredecessorTunku Puan Zanariah (as Sultanah of Johor)
BornRaja Zarith Sofiah Binti Raja Idris Shah
(1959-08-14) 14 August 1959
Istana Raja Muda, Teluk Anson, Perak, Malaya
Spouse
​
(m. 1982)​
IssueTunku Ismail Idris
Tunku Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah
Tunku Idris Iskandar
Tunku Abdul Jalil (Deceased 5 December 2015)
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abu Bakar
Regnal name
Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah Afifullah
HouseMalacca (by birth)
Temenggong (by marriage)
FatherSultan Idris Iskandar Al-Mutawakkil Alallahi Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Shah Kaddasullah
MotherRaja Perempuan Muzwin binti Raja Dato' Arif Shah
ReligionSunni Islam

Early life and education

Raja Zarith Sofiah was born in Istana Raja Muda, Teluk Anson, on 14 August 1959 as the third child and second daughter of Sultan Idris Shah II of Perak and Raja Perempuan Muzwin binti Raja Arif Shah.[1][2] Her parents were first step-cousins once removed. She is a second step-cousin of Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak. Sultan Azlan's paternal grandfather, her paternal grandfather and her mother's paternal grandfather were children of Sultan Idris Shah I of Perak, all with different mothers.[3]

She attended Datin Khadijah Primary School and then Raja Perempuan Kelsom School in Kuala Kangsar, before moving on to Cheltenham Ladies' College to complete her secondary education. She attended Somerville College, Oxford and obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Chinese studies from the University of Oxford in 1983 and her Master of Arts in 1986.[1][2][4]

Current activities

Raja Zarith Sofiah is the chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru.[5] She is also a Fellow of the School of Language Studies and Linguistics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).[6] She delivered the keynote address at the 2011 UKM International Language Conference.[7] She is the Royal Patron of Oxford University Malaysia Club (beginning Michaelmas 2011).[8]

Raja Zarith is a strong advocate of improving the use of English in Malaysia.[9][10] In addition to Malay and English, she speaks Mandarin Chinese, Italian and French.[4]

She has authored several children's books, including Puteri Gunung Ledang, and writes for The Star's "Mind Matters" column.[4]

Raja Zarith supports various charitable and non-governmental organisations. She is a patron of the Johor Spastic Children's Association, Rotary Club of Tebrau Heart Fund and the Malaysian English Language Teaching Association.[1][10] She is also the Chair of the Community Services Committee of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society.[6]

Raja Zarith Sofiah is also active in religious activities. There is a foundation which is named after her which is called Yayasan Raja Zarith Sofiah Negeri Johor. It was launched on 28 November 2012 at the Kuala Lumpur campus of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia[11] The foundation's purpose is to generate funds for various educational programmes.[12] The foundation was set up after the Sultan of Johor and she agreed with the proposal by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, in line with the Royal Johor Institution, in developing the teachings of Islam.[12]

Marriage and children

In 1982, Raja Zarith married the (then) Tunku Mahkota (Crown Prince) of Johor, Tunku Ibrahim Ismail.[13] Ibrahim Ismail was proclaimed the 25th Sultan of Johor after the death of his father in January 2010. Raja Zarith was addressed as DYMM, the consort of the Sultan of Johor until her corornation took place. On her coronation day, she was conferred the title Permaisuri of Johor (Queen Consort of Johor).[14][15]

She and Sultan Ibrahim have six children:[16]

Honours
See also: List of honours of the Johor Royal Family by country

Honours of Johor

Honours of Perak
  •  Perak (Zarith Sofiah, née Princess of Perak) :
    • Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Perak (DK, 22 May 2012)[21][22]
    • Grand Knight of the Order of Cura Si Manja Kini (the Perak Sword of State, SPCM, March 1983) with title Dato' Seri

Foreign Honours
  •  Brunei: Sultan of Brunei Golden Jubilee Medal (5 October 2017)

Ancestry

References
  1. "Biography for Raja Zarith Sofiah Ibni Sultan Idris Al Mutawakkil Alallahi Shah". SiloBreaker. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  2. "D.Y.M.M Sultan Johor". Government of Johor. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  3. "Perak". Genealogical Gleanings. Archived from the original on 20 February 2005. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  4. Lim, Teck Ghee (18 November 2010). "Royalty Extraordinaire". Centre of Policy Initiatives. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  5. "The Chancellor". Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  6. Raja Zarith Idris (8 November 2009). "A world of disunited nations". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 11 December 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  7. Raja Zarith Idris (15 March 2011). "A dire need to listen". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 11 December 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  8. "OUMC Patron".
  9. "Using English Doesn't Make One Less Patriotic, Says Raja Zarith". Bernama. 8 January 2008.
  10. "Royal Patron: H.R.H. Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah". Malaysian English Language Teaching Association. Archived from the original on 8 August 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  11. "Majlis Pelancaran Yayasan Raja Zarith Sofiah Negeri Johor (photo album)". Professor Datuk Ir. Dr. Zaini bin Ujang, Office of Vice Chancellor. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Archived from the original on 24 March 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  12. "Yayasan Raja Zarith Sofiah Negeri Johor in need of RM60 million endowment". Bernama via New Straits Times. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  13. "Sultan Ibrahim Ismail of Johor". JBDirectory.com. Archived from the original on 15 August 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  14. "No 'sultanah' title or special perks for 2 Johor consorts". New Straits Times. 17 February 2011. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  15. Benjamin, Nelson (17 March 2010). "Johor Sultan graces RJCC lunar new year dinner". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  16. "Johor". Genealogical Gleanings. Archived from the original on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  17. Azimi Mustapha (2008). "Impian puteri raja" (in Malay). Kosmo!. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  18. "Tunku Ismail heads 83 award recipients". New Straits Times. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  19. "TMJ ketuai senarai 83 penerima anugerah Sultan Johor" (in Malay). Berita Harian. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  20. "TMJ dahului 83 penerima pingat darjah kebesaran Johor" (in Malay). Harian Metro. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  21. List of consorts of Malay rulers (as of February 2013) with details of orders
  22. Articles evoking reception of Dk Perak by Zarith Sofia : in English Archived 3 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine - in Malay Archived 12 September 2013 at Archive.today
Raja Zarith Sofiah
Royal House of Perak (Malacca) by birth
House of Temenggong by marriage
Born: 14 August 1959
Malaysian royalty
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Tunku Puan Zanariah
(as Sultanah of Johor)		 Permaisuri of Johor
(Consort of Sultan of Johor)
2010-present		 Succeeded by
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