KUALA LUMPUR: It was a resplendent room inside Istana Negara and the interviewee was dressed in an elegant floral baju kurung.
It was none other than the Queen, but Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah was warm and easygoing throughout the two-hour interview.
It was her simple upbringing that made her who she is today, she said, adding that despite growing up as a princess, she had a normal childhood.
“My father was strict with us. We had a normal upbringing, ” she told The Star.
Tunku Azizah is the daughter of the late Johor Ruler Sultan Iskandar ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail and the sister of current Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.
She said she and her husband, Yang di-Pertuan Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had practised a simple lifestyle since they got married 33 years ago.
“Though we are not allowed to do many things, I am lucky that Tuanku does not like protocol and all the restrictions.
“What you see now is what we’re like back home in Pahang, ” she said.
Indeed, the couple has often shown their spontaneity, dispensing with formality when the occasion allows for it.
Tunku Azizah also said she was surprised by the public reaction over the King’s concern for a road accident victim last month.
Pictures of him stopping by the side of the road to check on the accident victim went viral.
Tunku Azizah brushed aside the public attention, saying she could not see what the “big fuss” was about as it was something “we have been doing for many years”.
She even took pictures with her phone during the National Day parade last month, as requested by the King.
The royal couple are often spotted at fast food restaurants, winning the hearts of the people for their approachable manner.
“It’s the way I brought up my children as well. You have to be humble and nice. You also have to be approachable. That is what Tuanku likes, ” said Tunku Azizah.
“That is why, whenever he visits villages or makes the rounds back in Kuantan, there will be petitions and letters, ” she said, referring to numerous requests for financial assistance, scholarships, medical help and even houses.
“You want people to be at ease with you. And to be able to make people be at ease with you, you have to let go and relax, ” she added.
KUALA LUMPUR: It has been just eight months since she became the queen.
Yet, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah has shown her personal side, sharing about her Chinese lineage and her preference for kampung dishes.
Last week’s Twitter episode showed how the rakyat have been won over by the down-to-earth queen. When she deactivated her account, they begged her to return.But little is known about the difficult times she went through in trying to start a family, which eventually led to her setting up a charity body called the Tunku Azizah Fertility Foundation (TAFF).
TAFF’s mission is to help childless couples who face financial difficulties in seeking treatment or counselling.
In a two-hour interview with The Star, the Queen candidly talked about her personal pain.
She shared about going through a series of fertility treatments before giving birth to Tengku Mahkota of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah, who turned 24 on Tuesday.
“I told my husband (Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah) that it was my last try.
“If I didn’t get pregnant, that was it. I mean, I had been trying too much. I would leave it to God.
“Then I got pregnant. Only those who have gone through what I have would know what it is like.
“That is why I set up the foundation. I want to help those who are in the same predicament, ” said Tuanku Azizah, who became emotional when recounting her experience.In the early years of her marriage, she said, she faced enormous pressure to produce an heir.
“I was married to the (then) Crown Prince (of Pahang). I was supposed to produce an heir and a spare. Of course it was (stressful) that I had to produce a child.”
She married Sultan Abdullah on March 6,1986, and gave birth after nine and a half years of marriage.
“I know what it feels like for other royal families who are not able to get a child. In my case, I had to get a son, ” she said.
Teary-eyed, she recalled: “During the pregnancy, I didn’t get out of bed for six months. I was so scared that I would lose the baby.
“It was tough for me. I went through many obstacles as well.
I wouldn’t like anybody to go through what I went through, so whoever gets married, I pray that they will have a child.”
But Tunku Azizah never gave up hope throughout her journey.
“Finally, He answered my prayers and I got Hassanal. I never thought I would have more children, but He has blessed me and I went on to have four more children, ” she said.
Tunku Azizah’s personal journey gave her the idea to set up TAFF.
“I know what it feels like not being able to have a child, and how it feels to finally hold a child in your arms, ” she said.
TAFF’s role is to help those who cannot afford treatment, she added.
“I know how much it costs to undergo fertility treatment and not everybody can afford it. That was when I said ‘Okay, I would like to set up a foundation where I can help the lower-income group’, ” she said.
[size=1em]image:
Tender moment: Tunku Azizah petting one of her cats at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur.
TAFF is aimed at couples with a joint household income of not more than RM4,500. When news broke about the foundation, many people called, keen to offer their help.
“The same night after the article came out in The Star, Kak Mimah (TAFF honarary secretary Datuk Hamimah Abdul Karim) didn’t sleep at all as she received phone calls non-stop until morning.
“What was surprising was that it was the men who called. It wasn’t the women calling to say that they had a problem, ” she recalled.
It was reported that the national fertility rate last year continued to decline to the lowest level recorded since the formation of Malaysia in 1963, with 15.8 births per 1,000 people compared to 16.1 in 2017.
According to the 2018 Malaysia’s Selected Demographic Indicator, the overall fertility rate of Malaysian women aged 15 to 49 is estimated at 1.91 children, which is below the replacement level of 2.1 children.
That means the Malaysian population is shrinking, as the average number of babies born to a woman during her period of fertility is not sufficient to replace her and her partner, according to Department of Statistics chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidi.
Sharing the success story of TAFF, Tunku Azizah said it had helped “deliver” 115 babies.
She spoke of many cases which even the doctor had given up on, but “I told the doctor that there is a greater person up there”.
In one instance, she told a TAFF applicant to give it a try.
“If she didn’t get pregnant, then we would be done. And she went on to have triplets, ” she added.
In another example, she said a 44-year-old applicant, who was married for 22 years, also sought treatment under TAFF.
“She got twins despite the odds. She cried and named them after my daughters Afzan and Jihan, ” she said, referring to Tengku Puteri Afzan Aminah Hafizatullah and Tengku Puteri Jihan Azizah ‘Athiyatullah.Tunku Azizah advised couples seeking help: “I can only say to them, ‘I can help you medically, but God decides. It is the miracle of science and the miracle of God. I can help you try, but you have to pray and ask from Him, as only He can give you a child.’” Asked about TAFF’s long-term plans, she said she hoped she could help more couples conceive.
She also advised couples to go for fertility checks as early as possible.
Tonight, the Queen will be attending Eu Yan Sang’s 140th anniversary dinner to raise funds for TAFF.
This is the third time Eu Yan Sang has held such a drive in aid of the foundation since 2009. To date, it has raised over RM3mil for TAFF.
KDYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Maimunah Iskandariah hari ini bertemu pendakwah dan imam terkenal, Sheikh Mishary Bin Rashid Al-Afasy di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur.
Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong berkenan bertanya khabar Sheikh Mishary yang kebetulan menunggu penerbangan ke Jakarta, Indonesia. Sheikh Mishary berada di Kuala Lumpur sejak Khamis lepas dan telah menjadi imam Solat Jumaat di Masjid Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, Putrajaya pada Jumaat 27 September.
The Raja Permaisuri Agong gained popularity online for her candid tweets about her life as a royal. — Picture from Instagram/istana_negara
PETALING JAYA, Oct 2 — Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah has reactivated her Twitter account after taking a brief hiatus from the microblogging site in September.
Social media users were over the moon to see Her Majesty tweeting once again about her daily activities, from cooking for palace staff to zooming across a zip line in a forest.
Twitter
Twitter
Tunku Azizah deactivated her Twitter account last month for personal reasons, though many initially believed that she had done so due to malicious comments.
Police opened investigations after reports were lodged concerning derogatory remarks made towards the royal, prompting Tunku Azizah to briefly return to social media and clarify that she hadn’t known about the comments in question when she left Twitter.
Nevertheless, it seems Malaysian social media users are ecstatic to finally have their queen back on their timelines.
“Our Queen is back! We miss you, Tuanku!” wrote @muzaffaryazid.
“You’re back, Malaysian sweetheart! Alhamdulillah,” said @m_berpenghuni.
“I missed seeing Tuanku upload pictures of food like this,” quipped @ayenroslan_.
“BUKAN senang untuk seorang wanita menjalani rawatan kesuburan kerana mereka perlu kuat selain memerlukan banyak usaha dan pengorbanan wang ringgit.
“Saya memahami apa yang dilalui dan dirasai seorang ibu yang berusaha keras serta sanggup berkorban apa sahaja demi mendapatkan zuriat,” titah Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah sempena sambutan Hari Keluarga Yayasan Fertiliti Tunku Azizah (TAFF) 2019 di Seri Kembangan, hari ini.
Menurut Baginda, hanya Tuanku Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah sahaja tahu apa yang dilalui dan dirasai sepanjang mereka berusaha mendapatkan zuriat.
Dengan nada sebak, Tunku Azizah berkata, rawatan mendapatkan anak bukanlah murah dan Baginda bersyukur kerana Sultan Abdullah sentiasa ada bersamanya selain menanggung segala perbelanjaan rawatan termasuk persenyawaan tabung uji (IVF).
“Hanya Tuanku yang tahu berapa kali saya menangis dan saya bersyukur kerana Tuanku sentiasa ada bersama ketika menjalani rawatan di beberapa negara.
“Tuanku, terima kasih banyak-banyak atas semua sokongan selama ini,” titah Baginda.
Tuanku Azizah yang pernah mengalami keguguran sebanyak enam kali turut menjalani 16 kali rawatan kesuburan dalam usaha mendapatkan waris takhta negeri Pahang.
Baginda yang juga pengasas dan presiden seumur hidup TAFF mengakui bersyukur kerana tidak putus harapan selain tidak henti berdoa supaya dikurniakan zuriat yang ditunggu-tunggu.
Titah Baginda, tidak semua wanita bertuah dan ada yang diuji Allah SWT.
“Enam keguguran yang saya alami tapi kalau sudah rezeki, Allah tetap akan beri.
“Apapun, anak-anak TAFF semua istimewa kerana sememangnya ditunggu-tunggu, jadi taatlah dan dengar cakap ibu bapa.
“Doakan TAFF supaya dapat terus menolong lebih ramai yang senasib,” katanya.
Sementara itu, majlis sempena sambutan ulang tahun ke-15 penubuhan TAFF turut diserikan dengan keberangkatan Al-Sultan Abdullah.
Hadir sama mengiringi Baginda adalah puteri baginda, Tengku Puteri Raja, Tengku Puteri Jihan Azizah ‘Athiyatullah.
Pada majlis berkenaan, Al-Sultan Abdullah berkenaan mengurniakan surat tawaran penajaan rawatan IVF kepada 60 pasangan bersempena Hari Keputeraan Yang di-Pertuan Agong, baru-baru ini.
Selain itu, Tunku Azizah turut berkenaan menyampaikan loket khas TAFF kepada empat anak yayasan terbabit yang juga pasangan kembar masing-masing berusia enam tahun.
Baginda berdua juga berkenan memotong kek sambutan ulang tahun yayasan berkenaan.
Hari Keluarga TAFF 2019 turut dimeriahkan dengan kehadiran 116 anak yayasan berkenaan dan keluarga masing-masing.
Artikel ini disiarkan pada : Ahad, 6 Oktober 2019 @ 4:23 PM
kat rumah saya ada jam dinding gamba RPA dgn anak2 masa kecik...lupa plak nak ambik gamba masa balik kg aritu...mak saya dpt cenderahati masa join event Tg Puan kat Pahang...
http://www.bernama.com/bm/am/news.php?id=1779724 Permaisuri berkenan rasmi Festival Kesenian, Kebudayaan Kemahiran dan Keusahawanan Pendidikan KhasTarikh kemaskini: 16/10/2019
KUALA LUMPUR, 16 Okt -- Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah hari ini berkenan merasmikan Festival Kesenian, Kebudayaan Kemahiran dan Keusahawanan Pendidikan Khas Peringkat Jabatan Pendidikan Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur 2019 di Kompleks Kraf di sini.
Festival tiga hari yang bermula hari ini merupakan platform bagi murid pendidikan khas dan guru mempamerkan keupayaan dan kemampuan sebenar dalam usaha memartabatkan kesenian dan kebudayaan dalam kalangan warga pendidikan khas ibu negara.
Keberangkatan Tunku Azizah itu juga merupakan simbolik kepada kesinambungan tradisi keprihatinan institusi Diraja terhadap kesejahteraan dan kemakmuran rakyat.
Turut hadir Timbalan Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat Hannah Yeoh, Pengarah Bahagian Pendidikan Khas Kementerian Pendidikan Datuk Yasmin Hussain dan Pengarah Kanan Bahagian Pembangunan Industri Kraftangan Malaysia 'Ainu Sham Ramli.
Pada majlis itu, Tuanku Azizah dan kira-kira 1,000 hadirin dihiburkan dengan persembahan tarian tradisional serta nyanyian oleh pelajar Sekolah Seni Malaysia dan Sekolah Pendidikan Khas Setapak.
Baginda turut berkenan mencemar duli melawat tapak pameran serta tempat pertandingan dan turut beramah mesra.
Festival itu melibatkan hampir 300 murid pelbagai keperluan khas dari 53 sekolah yang menawarkan Program Pendidikan Khas Integrasi dan Sekolah Pendidikan Khas Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.
Sebanyak 11 acara dipertandingkan dalam acara itu antaranya gubahan sirih junjung, hiasan pulut kuning, masakan tradisional tempatan dan mewarna batik.
Menambah keceriaan pada majlis itu, Raja Permaisuri membuat kejutan apabila berkenan mendendangkan lagu Bassanova, yang pernah dipopularkan oleh penyanyi Wann, bersama seorang pelajar Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih di sini.
Ketika ditemui pemberita selepas majlis, pelajar Aneesya Ramadani Atuni, 13, berkata beliau tidak menyangka berpeluang berkongsi mikrofon ketika sedang membuat persembahan 'busking' untuk festival itu.
"Saya diberitahu guru bahawa Raja Permaisuri akan datang ke program ini, tapi tak terfikir akan dapat berjumpa dan tak sangka dia datang melawat ke gerai pameran.
"Ketika saya menyanyi tiba-tiba nampak ramai orang, kemudian saya nampak Raja Permaisuri datang jadi saya hulurkan tangan untuk bersalam, lepas salam tak sangka dia mengambil mikrofon dan menyanyi bersama ," katanya teruja.
Tunku Azizah menyanyi bersama Aneesya sebelum ke tapak pameran dan pertandingan pada Festival Kesenian Kebudayaan Kemahiran dan Keusahawanan Pendidikan Khas di Kompleks Kraf hari ini.
KUALA LUMPUR - Gementar namun gembira, itu perasaan seorang pelajar Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih (SBJK) yang disapa Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Azizah Aminah Iskandariah pada Festival Kesenian Kebudayaan Kemahiran dan Keusahawanan Pendidikan Khas di Kompleks Kraf di sini hari ini.
Aneesya Ramadani Atuni, 13, berkata, dia tidak menyangka dapat berduet bersama Tunku Azizah ketika sedang membuat persembahan buskers bersama kumpulannya.
"Cikgu maklumkan pada hari ini ada kunjungan daripada Permaisuri Agong tapi saya tak sangka pula dapat menyanyi lagu Bossanova bersama tuanku.
"Sangat bersyukur dan gembira, sebelum ini hanya dapat melihat wajah jelita permaisuri dalam TV tapi hari ini dapat bertentang mata, bersalam dan nyanyi bersama," katanya.
Aneesya gembira dapat duet bersama Tunku Azizah ketika membuat persembahan di Festival Kesenian Kebudayaan Kemahiran dan Keusahawanan Pendidikan Khas
Tunku Azizah meluangkan masa lebih dua jam menghadiri Festival Kesenian Kebudayaan Kemahiran dan Keusahawanan Pendidikan Khas anjuran Jabatan Pendidikan Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (WPKL) selama tiga hari.
Hadir sama, Timbalan Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat, Hannah Yeoh dan Pengarah Jabatan Pendidikan Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Maznah Abu Bakar.
Sementara itu, Maznah berkata, seramai 293 murid pendidikan khas di 53 sekolah terlibat dalam program dwitahunan yang menyediakan 11 acara untuk dipertandingkan sepanjang festival.
"Pertandingan itu antaranya gubahan sireh junjung, hiasan pulut kuning, masakan tradisional tempatan, gubahan kitar semula bunga telur dan nyanyian
"Pertandingan ini bukan sekadar mencungkil bakat peserta malah kemahiran ini dapat digunakan dalam kehidupan seharian. Ia juga langkah memberikan pendedahan kesenian serta kebudayaan kepada masyarakat," katanya.
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 -- Unknown to many, ‘belacan (shrimp paste) diplomacy’ has been instrumental in a way in strengthening the ties between Malaysia and Singapore.
This matter came to light when the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, today shared the secret of how her home-made sambalbelacan (shrimp paste sauce) was a hit with the late Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
In a tweet, Tunku Azizah, better known as cheminahsayang on the Twitter social media platform, disclosed that she was, at one time, the “official supplier” of sambal belacan to Kuan Yew.
In fact, the Queen still supplies sambal belacan to the republic. The sauce is now enjoyed by Kuan Yew’s son and current prime minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong.
“I had long wanted to share this (secret) with Malaysians. I was once the official sambal belacan supplier to the Prime Minister of Singapore ... Datuk Lee Kuan Yew ... and now supply to his son, PM Lee,” Her Majesty had posted.
Tunku Azizah had also shared a photograph of a letter written by Kuan Yew on the matter on her Instagram account airtangan_tunkuazizah.
The letter, dated July 23, 2009, read: “The six packets of (sambal) belacan you gave me were delicious. I shared them with my two sons. They have all been consumed. It is the best chilli belacan we have tasted. Can my family have a few more
“Sorry to trouble you over this. It makes so many dishes taste better.”
Tunku Azizah, who had uploaded the picture on May 2, 2018, said the letter was most meaningful for her.
“… all because of sambal belacan … I was deeply touched,” Her Majesty said.
The airtangan_tunkuzaizah Instagram account holds a collection of the recipes of Her Majesty, reflecting her popularity as a member of the royalty who loves cooking.
Post time 20-9-2019 03:23 PM
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