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.

Tunku Temenggong of Kedah
Sallehuddin was proclaimed as Tunku Temenggong of Kedah on 28 November 1981. He became one of members of the Council of Regency when his eldest brother, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, served as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 2011 to 2016, and chaired the council after the death of his elder brother, Tunku Annuar, in 2014.

Raja Muda of Kedah
Sallehuddin was proclaimed as Raja Muda of Kedah on 15 December 2016. He replaced Tunku Abdul Malik who died of natural causes on 29 November 2015 at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar.

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.

Sultan of Kedah
Sallehuddin was proclaimed as the 29th Sultan of Kedah on 12 September 2017 at the Istana Anak Bukit by the Kedah Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah. 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 event 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

Kedah honours

 * MY-KED Royal Family Order of Kedah (DK).svg Grand Master and Member of the Royal Family Order of Kedah (DK) (2017)
 * MY-KED Halimi Family Order of Kedah (DKH).svg Grand Master and Member of the Halimi Family Order of Kedah (DKH)
 * MY-KED Kedah Supreme Order of Merit (DUK).svg Grand Master of the Kedah Supreme Order of Merit (DUK)
 * MY-KED Supreme Order of Sri Mahawangsa (DMK).svg Grand Master of the Supreme Order of Sri Mahawangsa (DMK)
 * MY-KED Order of Sultan Abdul Halim Muazzam Shah - Grand Commander (SHMS).svg Grand Master and Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (SHMS) – Dato' Seri DiRaja (17 July 2008)
 * MY-KED Exalted Order of the Crown of Kedah - Knight Grand Commander (SPMK).svg Grand Master and Knight Grand Commander of the Exalted Order of the Crown of Kedah (SPMK) – Dato' Seri
 * [[File:MY-KED_Order_of_Loyalty_to_the_Royal_House_of_Kedah_-_Knight Companion (DSDK).svg|50px]] Knight Companion of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal House of Kedah (DSDK) – Dato' (1982)
 * [[File:MY-KED Order of Loyalty to the Royal House of Kedah - Knight Grand Companion (SSDK).svg|50px]] Grand Master and Knight Grand Companion of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal House of Kedah (SSDK) – Dato' Seri (1987)
 * MY-KED State of Kedah Distinguished Service Star or Medal (BCK - PCK).svg State of Kedah Distinguished Service Star (BCK)
 * Sultan Abdul Halim Silver Jubilee Medal.jpg Silver Jubilee Medal (15 July 1983)
 * Sultan Abdul Halim Golden Jubilee Medal.jpg Golden Jubilee Medal (15 July 2008)

Honours of Malaysia

 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia:
 * MY Darjah Utama Seri Mahkota Negara (Crown of the Realm) - DMN.svg Recipient of the Order of the Crown of the Realm (DMN) (2018)
 * Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia - PSM.svg Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (2011)
 * The Gallant Order of Military Service - Warrior (Malaysia).png Warrior of the Order of Military Service of Malaysia (PAT) (2012)
 * UK_Queen%27s_Commendation_for_Valuable_Service_device.svg Mentioned in dispatches (KPK) (1974)
 * Kelantan:
 * MY-KEL Royal Family Order - Star of Yunus - DK.svg Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Kelantan (DK) (2017)
 * MY-KEL Order of the Crown of Kelantan - Star of Muhammad.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Kelantan (SPMK) – Dato' (2016)
 * Johor:
 * Most Esteemed Royal Family Order of Johor - ribbon bar.svg First Class of the Royal Family Order of Johor (DK I) (2017)
 * Perak:
 * MY-PERA Royal Family Order of Perak - DK.svg Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Perak (DK) (2017)
 * Selangor:
 * MY-SEL Royal Family Order of Selangor - DK I.svg First Class of the Royal Family Order of Selangor (DK I) (2017)
 * Negeri Sembilan:
 * MY-NEG Royal Family Order of Negeri Sembilan - DKNS.svg Member of the Royal Family Order of Negeri Sembilan (DKNS) (2018)
 * Perlis:
 * [[File:MY-PERL Perlis Family Order of the Gallant Prince Syed Putra Jamalullail - DK.svg|50px]] Member of the Order of the Gallant Prince Syed Putra Jamalullail (DK) (2018)
 * Pahang:
 * MY-PAH Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang - DK I.svg Member 1st class of the Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang (DK I) (2019)