Year-Ender: Passing of Sultan Abdul Halim puts Kedah in a state of melancholy

ALOR STAR: The passing of the 28th Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, on Sept 11 touched the hearts of all Kedahans as well as other Malaysians.
Sultan Abdul Halim died at 2.30pm at Istana Anak Bukit at the age of 89.
He had reigned Kedah for 59 years, making him the second longest-reigning monarch in the world and the second oldest-reigning monarch after Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
His Royal Highness also created history when he became the only sultan to serve as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong twice, the first time as the 5th Yang di-Pertuan Agong from September 1970 to September 1975 and the second time as the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong from December 2011 to December 2016.
Sultan Abdul Halim's younger brother Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, who was the then Raja Muda of Kedah, was proclaimed as the 29th Sultan of Kedah on Sept 12.
The year 2017 also saw declared confidence by opposition political parties to capture control of Kedah in the 14th general election, which is due by June 2018.
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), PAS and Parti Amanah Negara are seen to be determined to gain control of the state administration from the Barisan Nasional.
PAS demonstrated its commitment to the effort by holding its 63rd annual muktamar (delegates conference) at the PAS Complex in Kota Sarang Semut here from April 29 to May 1.
A shocking announcement at the meeting was the party's ending of the 'tahaluf siyasi' political cooperation with PKR, a decision unanimously approved by the delegates on April 30.
The decision was taken after PAS apparently felt betrayed by PKR, including in the making of decisions on important issues.
Kedah PAS then decided that it will contest in all the 15 parliamentary and 36 state seats in Kedah in the 14th general election and will not nominate Pokok Sena MP and former Kedah PAS chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar as a candidate.
PAS' splinter party, Amanah, also held its 2nd national convention in Alor Setar, Oct 20 to 22.
Among those present at the convention were the senior leaders of the Pakatan Harapan coalition, including PPBM chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar. — Bernama