Sharafuddin of Selangor

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Al-Haj Ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Al-Haj (Jawi: ; born 11 December 1945) is the Sultan of Selangor since ascending to the throne in November 2001.

Sharafuddin was born on 24 December 1945, at Istana Jema'ah, Klang, as the first son of the Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Selangor, Tengku Abdul Aziz Shah and his first wife, Raja Saidatul Ihsan binti Tengku Badar Shah (1923–2011).

He was named Tengku Idris Shah at birth.

His father was the eldest son of Hisamuddin of Selangor and Raja Jemaah, who later became the second Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia.

His mother was the grandchild of both Sulaiman of Selangor and Abdul Jalil of Perak.

As such, his parents were first cousins.

He received his primary education at Malay Primary School, Kuala Lumpur when he was nine.

He then attended St. John's Institution from 1954 until 1959.

In 1960, his father became the Sultan of Selangor, taking the regnal name Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah.

In the same year, Sharafuddin was proclaimed the Raja Muda of Selangor at age fifteen.

He was sent abroad to continue his education, attending the Hale School in Perth, Western Australia, from 1960 and later Langhurst College in Surrey, United Kingdom, from 1964.

After returning from the United Kingdom in 1968, Sharafuddin joined the government as a public servant, and was attached to the Selangor State Secretariat under the administration of Menteri Besar Harun Idris.

He served in the Kuala Lumpur District Office and Kuala Lumpur police department.

In 1970, he was formally installed and took oath as the 8th Raja Muda of Selangor in a ceremony held at Istana Alam Shah, Klang.

On 24 April 1999, he was appointed as Regent of Selangor after his father became the eleventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

He was the Pro-chancellor of MARA University of Technology (UiTM) from the year 2000 until 2005, and is the current chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia since 2002.

Sharafuddin married thrice.

On 22 November 2001, he was proclaimed Sultan of Selangor, succeeding his father, who died after only two years as Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

He took the regnal name Sharafuddin (connoting 'religious enlightenment' in Arabic), and is styled as Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

His formal coronation took place on 8 March 2003 at Istana Alam Shah, Klang.

The event started with inspection of Royal Guard of Honour made up of 103 members of the Royal Malaysian Navy by Sharafuddin.

He entered the Balairung Seri (throne room) accompanied by a procession of palace officers.

He carried out a few rituals including kissing the Quran and kissing the royal regalia, Keris Terapang Gabus before being crowned by the Selangor Mufti.

The ceremony was attended by royal family members of Selangor, royal family members of monarchies of Malaysia and federal government officers.

Those who were in attendance include Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah, Tengku Sri Bendahara Raja of Terengganu Tengku Mustaffa Kamel, Tunku Laxamana of Negeri Sembilan Tunku Naquiyuddin, Raja Muda of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah, Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra, Raja Muda of Kedah Tunku Abdul Malik, Tunku Mahkota of Johor Tunku Ibrahim Ismail and Tengku Mahkota of Pahang Tengku Abdullah.

Also in attendance were acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who represented the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, Regent of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, and Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al Muhtadee Billah.

As Sultan, he is known to have revoked state awards conferred by him or by his father.

In 2007, he revoked the Datuk title of a businessman who pleaded guilty for financial fraud.

He has also suspended others who have been charged in court for various misdealings or faced bankruptcy.

The 2008 general election saw sweeping political change in Selangor.

For the first time, Barisan Nasional (BN) did not win control of the state assembly.

Sharafuddin presided over the swearing-in of the first non-BN Menteri Besar of Selangor.

In May 2009, he underwent a ten-hour open heart surgery at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, California.

In 2011, he suspended the datukship of former transport minister Chan Kong Choy in relation to the latter being charged in court over the Port Klang Free Zone scandal.

In early 2011, Sharafuddin intervened in a crisis over the appointment of the state secretary, the state's highest-ranking civil servant.

The federal government appointed Mohd Khusrin Munawi to the position, which was consented to by Sharafuddin.

However, the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government opposed the appointment.

The state government eventually relented, and Khusrin assumed his duties in February 2011.

In 2016, following the 'Kajang Move' political crisis.

Sharafuddin revoked the 'Datuk Seri' title of Anwar Ibrahim.