sekilas pandang

Head of State
The Head of State is Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Perak, Sultant Azlan Muhibuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Ghafarullahulahu Shah, DK., DKM., DMN., DK. (Kelantan), DK. (Trengganu), DK. (Perlis), DK.(Johor), DK, (Selangor), DK.(Kedah), DKMB.(Brunei), DK.(Negri Sembilan), SSM., PPM., PSM., SPCM., SPTS., SPMP., SIMP.

The Succession to the Perak Throne
The Sultans of Perak after 1786 were the descendants of Sultan Ahmaddin Shah, the 18th Sultan of the State, who was also known as Marhum Bongsu.

Descendants of the Sultan Ahmaddin Shah's three sons - Sultan Abdul Malik Mansur Shah (the 19th Sultan), Raja Inu and Raja Abdul Rahman - took turns to ascend the throne.

This brought about a unique system where the Sultans of the State come from three families.

On the death of a Sultan, the son will not the the automatic successor although he can be made the new Ruler. Six people has the right to ascend the Perak throne upon the demise of a Sultan - the Raja Muda, the Raja DiHilir, the Raja Kecil Besar, The Raja Kecil Sulung, the Raja Kecil Tengah and the Raja Kecil Bongsu. Although it is not automatic, the Raja Muda is usually made the new Sultan by the Dewan Negara Perak, which comprises dignitaries of the State.

The present Ruler, Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, is a descendant of Sultan Abdul Malik Mansur Shah.

Apart from the six titled princes, there are several other dignitaries, all headed by the Orang Kaya Bendahara Seri Maharaja. They are the Orang Besar Empat, Orang Besar Lapan, the Toh Muda Orang Besar Empat, the Toh Muda Orang Besar Lapan, the Orang Besar 16 and the Orang Besar 32. The number of people with each of the titles is as suggested by the name.
They are appointed by the Sultan on the advice of the Dewan Negara to carry out specific duties entrusted upon them from time to time. The Dewan Negara functions as the Sultan's advisory body.
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Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yusuff Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-Lah (born 1928 in Batu Gajah, Perak) was the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong (roughly equivalent to King) of Malaysia from April 26, 1989 to April 25, 1994, and as of 2006 is the current sultan of Perak.

A child of Sultan Yusuff Izzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Jalil Nasruddin Makhtaram Shah (reigned 1948-1963) by his commoner wife (later divorced) Toh Puan Dewangsa Khadijah binti Ahmad, the young Raja Azlan Shah was brought up by his mother outside royal circles.

Perhaps due to this unusual upbringing, then Raja Azlan Shah, who was educated at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar grew up to be a very intelligent young man. As he had elder brothers who outranked him in the order of succession, he was trained for the legal service. Upon graduation from the University of Nottingham, Raja Azlan Shah became a magistrate. He rose to become the youngest high court judge in the Commonwealth, and later the youngest ever Lord President of the Federal Court of Malaysia in 1983.

However, in that same year, by a strange twist of fate, Raja Azlan Shah was installed Raja Muda or Crown Prince of Perak by his uncle, Sultan Idris Almutawakkil Alallahi Shah II. The long reign of that Sultan had taken its toll on Raja Azlan Shah's elder brothers. In that year, his only surviving elder brother, Raja Baharom Shah, refused the office of Crown Prince and Raja Azlan Shah was suddenly heir presumptive.

Within six months, Sultan Idris was dead and Sultan Azlan Shah succeeded to the ancient Perak throne. His legal career over, he became a much respected Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia in 1989. He served the full five year term and returned as Sultan of Perak in 1994.

Sultan Azlan Shah married a commoner from Penang, former teacher Bainun binti Mohamad Ali, who served as the first ever commoner Raja Permaisuri Agong. The couple were the first monarchs of Malaysia to be installed on new gilded silver thrones, replacing the wooden ancient thrones used between 1957 to 1994.