Tuanku Sir Syed Harun Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan JamalullailKCMG (Jawi: توانكو سيد هارون ڤوترا ابن المرحوم سيد حسن جمال الليل; 25 November 1920 – 16 April 2000) was Raja of Perlis from 1945 until his death in 2000, and the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional monarch of Malaysia, from 1960 to 1965.
Early career
He was the son of Syed Hassan bin Syed Mahmud Jamalullail (1897–18 October 1935), sometime Bakal Raja or heir presumptive to the throne of Perlis, by his commoner wife Wan Teh binti Wan Endut (1898 – 27 December 1952).[1] Born in Arau, he was educated at the Arau Malay School and later at Penang Free School between 1937 and 1939.[2] At the age of 18, he joined the Perlis administrative service, becoming a magistrate and in 1940, was transferred to Kuala Lumpur to serve as Second Magistrate in the Criminal Court.[3]
The Perlis Succession Dispute
The fourth Raja of Perlis, Syed Alwi ibni Syed Safi Jamalullail (born 1881; reigned 1905–1943) was childless. However, he had several half-brothers who were competing for the role of heir presumptive.[4] The succession to the Perlis throne was not automatic and an heir presumptive had to be confirmed in that post by the State Council comprising the Raja and several others.[5]
Syed Putra's paternal grandfather Syed Mahmud (died 1919), was the oldest son of Raja Syed Safi ibni Almarhum Syed Alwi Jamalullail (the third Raja). He was also a half brother of Raja Syed Alwi.[6] He served as Raja Muda until 1912[7] when he was convicted and jailed in Alor Star, Kedah until 1917. Two years later, he died in Alor Star.[8] On 6 December 1934, Syed Mahmud's son Syed Hassan was, by a three to one vote, selected by the State Council as Bakal Raja or heir presumptive. However, Syed Hassan died on 18 October 1935.[9]
On 30 April 1938, again by a three to one vote, the State Council chose Syed Putra (son of Syed Hassan) as the Bakal Raja. This choice was opposed by Syed Hamzah, the younger half-brother of Raja Syed Alwi and himself Vice-President of the State Council on the grounds that Syed Putra was too far removed from the throne under the Islamic inheritance laws (primogeniture did not then apply in Perlis). However, the British colonial rulers supported Syed Putra.[10]
Japanese occupation
On the outbreak of the World War II, Raja Syed Alwi retreated to Kuala Kangsar, Perak. He returned to Perlis on 28 December 1941 but was already very ill and state affairs were exercised by Syed Hamzah.[11] Syed Putra was at the time serving in the judiciary in Kuala Lumpur and had been advised by Sultan Musa Ghiatuddin Riayat Shah of Selangor to remain there. In May 1942, Syed Hamzah persuaded Raja Syed Alwi to withdraw Syed Putra's appointment as Bakal Raja and instead Syed Hamzah himself was appointed to that post. Raja Syed Alwi died in Arau on 1 February 1943 and a day later, before the funeral, Syed Hamzah was proclaimed fifth Raja of Perlis, by the consent of the Japanese Military Governor of Kedah and Perlis.[12]
Syed Putra and his family stayed in Klang until 15 May 1942 when he returned to Perlis. He lived in a hut near the Arau railway station and received a $90 a month allowance from Raja Syed Alwi but this ceased on the latter's death.[13] On 29 March 1945 he left for Kelantan, the home state of his consort Tengku Budriah, where he sold cakes and sundry goods for a living.[14]
On 4 December 1945 the British proclaimed Syed Putra as sixth Raja of Perlis.[18] He returned to Perlis from Kelantan, via Padang Besar. He was installed on 12 March 1949.[19]
The Malayan Union experiment
Raja Syed Putra objected to the Malayan Union treaty on the grounds that it contravened the 1930 British-Perlis Treaty giving governing power to the Raja-in-council. However, his protests that he signed under duress was rejected by the British. Subsequently, like all other Malay rulers, Raja Syed Putra repudiated the Malayan Union treaty.[20]
Raja Syed Putra was elected as the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong of independent Malaya and served in that office from 21 September 1960. At 39 years and 301 days, he is the youngest Yang di-Pertuan Agong ever elected. He was installed at Istana Negara on 4 January 1961. On 16 September 1963 upon the proclamation of the Malaysian Federation comprising Malaya, British Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore, he became Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. He completed his term in office on 20 September 1965. His son, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin was elected as the 12th Yang di-Pertuan Agong and served from 2001 to 2006 after the death of the incumbent, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah.
Role as Yang di-Pertuan Agong
In September 1963, Malaysia was formed and Tuanku Syed Putra became known as the last King of Malaya before changed to Malaysia as he was first king under new federation and the only King of Malaysia that Singapore has ever had in modern history, as Singapore became an independent republic on August 9, 1965.
Raja Syed Putra became the doyen of the Malay rulers, giving advice to more junior Rulers especially during the constitutional crisis with the then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1983 and again in 1993.
in 1952 to Che Puan Mariam (née Riam Pessayanavin [th]; 23 April 1923–1986) by whom he had three sons and one daughter. She was a Thai Muslim from Bangkok and Miss Siam in 1939.[24]
^Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail My Personal Experience Just Before and After the Japanese Occupation of Malaya in Papers of John Hamer MSS ind. Ocn. s 316 Box 1 File 1
^Mahani Musa, Kongsi Gelap Melayu di Negeri-Negeri Utara Pantai Barat Semenanjung Tanah Melayu, 1821 hingga 1940-an, pg 150-160
^Finestone, Jeffrey and Shaharil Talib (1994) Op Cit
^Mahani Musa, Kongsi Gelap Melayu di Negeri-Negeri Utara Pantai Barat Semenanjung Tanah Melayu, 1821 hingga 1940-an, pg 150-160
^Che Puan Temenggung Perlis (1995) Putra: Biografi yang diperkenankan tentang riwayat hidup DYMM Raja Perlis, Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail pp 53 and 56
Putra of Perlis House of JamalullailBorn: 25 November 1920 Died: 16 April 2000
Regnal titles
Preceded byHisamuddin Alam Shah(Sultan of Selangor)
Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Supreme King of Malaysia) 21 September 1960 – 20 September 1965
Succeeded byIsmail Nasiruddin Shah(Sultan of Terengganu)
Preceded bySyed Hamzah
Raja of Perlis 4 December 1945 – 16 April 2000
Succeeded bySyed Sirajuddin
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