HIS FACE is familiar to us, displayed prominently on all of our ringgit notes. But most of us are unfamiliar with his life story.
The man I am referring to is the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the late Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad.
The Malaysian Inner Temple Alumni Association (MITAA) recently produced Tuanku Abdul Rahman: The Making of a King, a documentary about the sovereign’s life, from his childhood to his demise in 1960.
The documentary has a special meaning for the association, as Tuanku Abdul Rahman, a lawyer by training, was one of its alumni.
Born in the royal town of Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan on Aug 24, 1895, Tuanku Abdul Rahman was the second son of Tuanku Muhammad Ibni Tuanku Antah, the first Yang di-Pertuan Besar of modern Negeri Sembilan, and his second wife, Tunku Puan Chik.
Upon the untimely death of his elder brother Tunku Abdul Aziz in 1917, Tuanku Abdul Rahman became heir to the throne, receiving the title of Tunku Muda Serting.
During the 1920s, he worked in various government departments, and by 1925, had been promoted to Assistant District officer, serving in the Kuala Lumpur Supreme Court.
He then accompanied his father on a trip to the United Kingdom, where he met King George V.
Tuanku Abdul Rahman decided to stay on in London to study law, and joined the Inner Temple to qualify as a barrister. Three years later, he was admitted to the bar.
Upon returning to Malaya in December 1928, he served the Malayan civil service in various parts of the country. He became a magistrate, and was eventually appointed District Officer.
In 1933, following the death of his father, he ascended to the throne of Negeri Sembilan. At the time, he was the only Malay ruler with an advocate and solicitor’s qualification.
He ruled Negeri Sembilan for 24 years before being elected as the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Aug 3, 1957, just before the nation achieved its independence from the British.
Sadly, Tuanku Abdul Rahman died in his sleep at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur in the early morning hours of April 1, 1960 at the age of 64.
“We do not learn about him at school,” says MITAA president Datuk Faizah Jamaludin.
“I am hoping the documentary will tell his story to young Malaysians. It will shed some light on a small piece of Malaysian history.”
Faizah adds that the association is negotiating with local broadcasters to have the documentary aired on television.
The documentary took two years to complete, and Faizah says that the long production time was partly because the association was trying to locate historical footage featuring the King.
I managed to view the documentary during a special screening in Kuala Lumpur recently, and found it to be quite informative.
The screening was attended by the late Agong’s grandson, Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir and his wife Tunku Ampuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Aishah Rohani Tengku Besar Mahmud, and his two great-grandsons, Tunku Besar Seri Menanti Tunku Ali Redhauddin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz and Tunku Zain Al-Abidin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz.
The royal family were also featured in the documentary, exchanging heartwarming stories about our first Agong.
One of my favourite stories featured in the documentary relates to how Tuanku Abdul Rahman used to walk through paddy fields to go to school.
“We wanted to humanise him and make him approachable,” says director Harry Zain, who is also founder of the film company AVI Kuala Lumpur which made the film.
Harry, who also specialises in making corporate videos, pointed out that the ruler was known for his kind heart, always putting people first.
Harry spent 10 days in London, filming around the Inner Temple grounds. Very few have ever been allowed to shoot within the grounds, and he says he feels privileged to have had the opportunity.
Incidentally, this is Harry’s fourth documentary about Malaysian history. He says he has already planned his next documentary, which will be about “the history of Sarawak”.
Explaining the importance of history, he says: “If we do not look at our past, we cannot move forward.”
To watch Tuanku Abdul Rahman: The Making of a King, contact MITAA at malaysianinnertemple@gmail.com.
