Ahmad Shah of Pahang

Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mu’azzam Shah (Jawi: المرحوم سلطان حاج أحمد شاه المستعين بالله إبن المرحوم سلطان أبو بكر رعاية الدين المعظم شاه; 24 October 1930 – 22 May 2019) was Sultan of Pahang from 1974 until his abdication in 2019, and previously the seventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional monarch of Malaysia from 1979 to 1984.

Friday 24 October 1930 at Istana Mangga Tunggal, Pekan, Pahang.

he was the only son of Sultan Abu Bakar Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mu’azzam Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdullah Al-Mu’tassim Billah Shah (reigned 1932–died 1974) by his official and royal consort, Tengku Ampuan Besar Raja Fatimah binti Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Shah Kaddasullah (1910–1988), a princess of Perak royal family.

A student of the Malay College Kuala Kangsar, he received diplomas in public administration from Worcester College, Oxford and the University of Exeter.

He succeeded his father as Sultan in 1974.

His election as the 7th Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 1979 was marked with controversy as he was said to be at odds with the incoming prime minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

However, the rumours proved to be untrue and he proved to be a keen admirer of the prime minister.

Twenty-two years earlier, his father Abu Bakar had failed five times to be elected as the first Agong.

A controversial, headstrong personality, he has often forced his chief ministers in Pahang to resign over minor differences.

His favourite hobby was playing football, golf, polo, and equestrian activities.

As the Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1979 to 1984, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah was automatically designated under constitutional provisions as the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces, holding the rank of the Field Marshal of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, Admiral of the Royal Malaysian Navy and Field Marshal of the Army.

Sultan Ahmad Shah is a keen sportsman and was the President of the Malaysian Football Association (FAM) from 1984 until 2014, the President of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) until 2002 and Asean Football Federation (AFF) 2011 until 2019.

His official and royal consort, Tengku Ampuan Afzan binti Tengku Panglima Perang Muhammad, a member of the Terengganu royal family, served as his Raja Permaisuri Agong but died of cancer on her return to Pahang on 29 June 1988.

Sultan Ahmad Shah's second wife Kalsom binti Abdullah (nee Anita), was designated as the Sultanah of Pahang in 1991.

They then both had a child, Tengku Arif Temenggong Pahang Tengku Fahd Mua'adzam.

His abdication as Sultan was decided by the Royal Council at an extraordinary meeting on 11 January 2019.

A special amendment was passed on the state constitution that gave the body more power for this decision, citing the Sultan's incapability to rule due to his failing health.

The abdication announced the next day which was retroactively effective on the day of the Royal Council meeting, paving the way to his son, Abdullah to succeed him as Sultan immediately, and subsequently be elected as the next Yang di-Pertuan Agong later the same month.

Born on at 12:00 pm.

After being ill for some time, Sultan Ahmad Shah abdicated with effect from 11 January 2019 (when it was the turn of Pahang to provide the Agong) upon the amendment of the state's constitution.

On 22 May 2019, Sultan Ahmad Shah died at 8:50 am at the National Heart Institute, Kuala Lumpur at aged 88.

He was laid to rest next to the grave of his late wife, Tengku Ampuan Afzan at the Pahang Royal Mausoleum near Abu Bakar Royal Mosque in Pekan, Pahang.

The state of Pahang observed 40 days of mourning, and Pahang flags across the state were flown at half-mast, while all entertainment events for the next 3 days were cancelled.

Until he stepped down in 2019 he was the RMAF's Colonel in Chief and appeared at official RMAF ceremonies.