In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Syed Alwi Barakbah is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Sharifah Rodziah. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
| Yang Amat Berbahagia TunSharifah Rodziah BarakbahSMN SPMT | |
|---|---|
| شريفة راضية برقبة | |
| Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia | |
| In role 31 August 1957 – 22 September 1970 | |
| Monarchs | Abdul Rahman Hisamuddin Putra Ismail Nasiruddin Abdul Halim |
| Prime Minister | Tunku Abdul Rahman |
| Succeeded by | Rahah Noah |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1920 |
| Died | 12 March 2000 (aged 79–80) Penang, Malaysia |
| Resting place | Kedah Royal Mausoleum |
| Spouse |
Tunku Abdul Rahman
(m. 1939; died 1990) |
| Children | 3 (adopted) |
Tun Sharifah Rodziah binti Syed Alwi Barakbah (Jawi: شريفة راضية بنت سيد علوي برقبة; 1920 – 12 March 2000) was the third wife of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the founding father and first Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Early life
Born in 1920, Sharifah Rodziah is of Hadhrami-Malay descent; her Arab ancestors had migrated from Hadhramaut and settled in Kedah for several generations. Being of the Barakbah clan, she is related to Syed Sheh Hassan Barakbah, the former Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Penang.
Marriage
Sharifah Rodziah was actually the younger sister of Tunku's university mate in England, Syed Omar Barakbah. Tunku and Sharifah Rodziah married in 1939 when he returned to Kedah from England upon hearing news that World War II was about to erupt in Europe.
She became Tunku's third wife after the death of Meriam Chong and his divorce from Violet Coulson. However, the marriage did not result in any offspring. Sharifah Rodziah became a loving stepmother to Tunku's children from his first marriage to Meriam Chong. They later adopted three children, Sulaiman, Mariam and Faridah.
Tunku Abdul Rahman's eldest daughter, Tunku Khadijah said in an interview to The Star that Sharifah Rodziah "loved my father dearly to a fault. She did not want to share him with anyone else".
Influence
Sharifah Rodziah played an important role in rallying political support for her husband during Malaysia's tumultuous formative years.
Death
She died due to pneumonia, in Penang, on 12 March 2000 at the age of 80 and was buried next to her husband's grave, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj at Kedah Royal Mausoleum in Langgar, Kedah.
Honours
Honours of Malaysia
Malaysia :
Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (SMN) – Tun (1970)
Terengganu :
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Terengganu (SPMT) – Dato' (1964)
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Places named after her
Several places were named after her, including:
- SMK Tun Sharifah Rodziah in Alor Setar, Kedah
- SMK Agama Sharifah Rodziah in Telok Mas, Melaka
- Tun Sharifah Rodziah Sea Base, located at Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE), Sabah
- Piala Tun Sharifah Rodziah
See also
References
- Macam-macam Ada: Memo untuk Pak Lah (Bahagian Satu), by Hussien Alattas, published by JB News Media Network, 2006, ISBN 983-40962-8-3, pg 254
- The nation came first for Tunku Archived 6 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine, The Star, 26 August 2007
- "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1970" (PDF).
- "Anugerah Sultan kepada Tengku". Berita Harian. 26 June 1964. p. 9.
Sources
- Asiaweek.com, 24 March 2000.
- Putera Negara; 1987, Firma Publishing, Aziz Zarina Ahmad.