ALOR SETAR, Nov 26 ― Tunku Laksamana of Kedah, Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah Sultan Sallehuddin was proclaimed as the 20th& Raja Muda of Kedah at a ceremony steeped in royal custom at the Balai Penghadapan (Audience Hall), Istana Anak Bukit, Alor Setar, today.

Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah, 50, the eldest son of Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, succeeds his father who had ascended the throne as the Sultan of Kedah on Sept 12.

The ceremony, apart from witnessing the proclamation of Tengku Sarafuddin Badlishah as the Raja Muda of Kedah, also saw the appointment of his younger brother, Datuk Tunku Shazudin Ariff Sultan Sallehuddin, as the new Tunku Laksamana of Kedah.

The proclamation was read out by State Secretary Datuk Bakar Din before the Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Sallehuddin and Sultanah of Kedah, Sultanah Maliha Tengku Ariff.

Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah then took his oath of office as the new Raja Muda and signed the document, witnessed by Syariah chief judge Syeikh Abdul Rahman Abdullah and High Court judge Datuk Hashim Hamzah.

The Sultan then presented the royal keris to the new Raja Muda and this was followed by the playing of the nobat and firing of a nine-gun salute.

Sultan Sallehuddin also conferred the Darjah Utama Seri Mahawangsa Yang Amat Dihormati (DMK) that carries the title of Datuk Seri Utama to Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah and the Darjah Kerabat Bergelar Empat that carries the title of Tunku Laksamana of Kedah to Tunku Shazudin Ariff.

Also present at the ceremony were Tunku Bendahara of Kedah, Tan Sri Tunku Abdul Hamid Thani ibn Almarhum Sultan Badlishah; Toh Puan Bendahara of Kedah, Puan Seri Nora Abdullah;  and Tunku Temenggong of Kedah, Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Almarhum Sultan Abdul Halim.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah and wife Datin Seri Hizam Awang Ahmad were also present. ― Bernama