10TH QUEEN OF MALAYSIA CELEBRATES HER 88TH BIRTHDAY AT SHANGRI-LA BALLROOM

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

YANG MAHA MULIA TUNKU AMPUAN NEGERI SEMBILAN TUANKU NAJIHAH TUNKU BESAR BURHANUDDIN, THE WIDOW OF THE LATE TUANKU JAAFAR TUANKU ABDUL RAHMAN, CELEBRATED HER 88TH BIRTHDAY ON 31 AUGUST 2012 AT SHANGRI-LA BALLROOM.

The exclusive birthday party, limited to only close friends, was organised by Lim Ai San and her brothers Dato Lim Boo Keong and Dato Lim Boo Kian as well as the grandchildren of Tuanku Najihah. 

Her Royal Highness Tunku Ampuan Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Najihah in the VIP Room with HH Tunku Naquiyuddin, HH Tunku Imran, HH Tunku Ahmad Shah, Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong, Datin Wendy Lim and the royal spouses.

Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong, Her Royal Highness Tunku Ampuan Negeri Sembilan the 10th Queen of Malaysia and Datin Seri Wendy Lim

YTM Tunku Nurul Hayati and YTM Tunku Laksamana Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaafar

Tunku Dara Tan Sri Tunku Naquiah, Her Royal Highness the 10th Queen of Malaysia, Datin Seri Wendy Lim and Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong

YAM Tunku Dara, HRH Tunku Ampuan Negeri Sembilan and Datin Seri Wendy Lim

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Only 200 guests were invited and Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong received many phonecalls from irate friends demanding to be invited. Explained the boss of BHL Development, "The official invite mentions the names of my wife and myself but in reality the actual organisation was done by my children and the grandchildren of Her Royal Highness!
"I was not in charge of the invitation list so I must insist of absolving myself from any responsibility!" laughed the affable and handsome Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong. "In fact my wife and I were away in Europe and just returned from London 2 weeks ago!"

88 is an extremely auspicious number and to celebrate a 88th birthday is doubly lucky as observed by Tunku Laksamana Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaafar in his speech. Tunku Naquiyuddin is the 65 year old eldest son of the Birthday Lady.

Tunku Ampuan Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Najihah Tunku Besar Burhanuddin reigned as the 10th Queen of Malaysia from 1994 to 1999. Tuanku Najihah Tunku Besar Burhanuddin was the Tunku Ampuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan from 1967 until 2008 when her husband the Yang DiPertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Jaafar Tuanku Abdul Rahman passed away. 

Tuanku Najihah's family holds the record equivalent to the fabled 3 Soong sisters of China as both her sisters were also Tunku Ampuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan! While the 3 Soong sisters merely married into immense wealth and power, none became Queen or even Princess.

But all 3 daughters of Tunku Besar Burhanuddin Ibni Yam Tuan Antah Ibni Yamtuan Sri Raden were destined to sit on the throne of Negeri Sembilan, one after another in succession and according to seniority of age! As if this was not enough honour, 2 sisters sat on the throne of Malaysia---the eldest as the very FIRST Queen of Malaysia and the third sister Tunku Najihah as the TENTH Queen of Malaysia!

To top it all, Tunku Najihah's niece, Tunku Bahiyah who was the daughter of Tunku Kursiah and grand-daughter of Tunku Besar Burhanuddin, married Sultan Abdul Halim Sultan Badlishah and was Sultanah of Kedah and also Queen of Malaysia from 1970 to 1975.

Finally the grandson of Tunku Besar Burhanuddin and son of his daughter Tunku Ampuan Besar Durah just happens to be Yam Tuan Muhriz, the current reigning Yang Di Pertuan Besar and Ruler of Negeri Sembilan! 

To recap, Tunku Besar Burhanuddin's 3 daughters all became Tunku Ampuan Besar or de facto Queen of Negeri Sembilan. Two became Queen of Malaysia. His granddaughter was Sultanah of Kedah and also Queen of Malaysia. His grandson is the current reigning Yang DiPertuan Agong or Yam Tuan or Ruler of Negeri Sembilan! 

So many Queens from one man has never happened before and certainly not in succession of each other. 

The eldest daughter of Tunku Besar Burhanuddin was the late Tunku Kurshiah (reigned 1933 to 1960) who married Tunku Abdul Rahman and became Tunku Ampuan Besar Negeri Sembilan in 1933. She also became the very first Raja Permaisuri Agong the Queen of Malaysia from 31 August 1957 on the same day Malaysia became independent until 1 April 1960. Tunku Kurshiah died on 2-2-99.

Tunku Burhanuddin's second daughter and younger sister of Tunku Kurshiah, Tunku Durah, married Tunku Munawir and became Tunku Ampuan Besar Negeri Sembilan in 1960. Tunku Besar Burhanuddin died in 1961. Tunku Durah reigned from 1960 to 1967 and died on 8-8-99.

Tunku Durah was the only sister who did not become Raja Permaisuri Agong or Queen of Malaysia due to the rotating 5-year terms among the 9 Rulers who theoretically since her eldest sister Tunku Kursiah had already become Queen from 1957 till 1960, Tunku Durah had to wait for another 40 years (the turns of 8 other Rulers) before she could become Queen which was a physical impossibility.

The numbers are very fascinating; Tunku Najihah's eldest sister Tunku Ampuan Besar Kurshiah (1911-1999) died aged 88, Tunku Ampuan Besar Durah (1922-1999) died aged 77 and Tunku Ampuan Najihah (1924 to present) is now 88!

Long Live Tunku Ampuan Najihah!

The Royal Party in the Royal Holding Room

Lim Ai San, who is not a Datuk like her 2 brothers though she deserves it, with Princess Dr Becky Leogardo. Lim Ai San has slimmed down and looks smashing with a figure that impresses even a hardcore critic like me. Lim Ai San is wearing Fleur bra and pantie which I know for a fact.

Bon vivant and organiser of the soon to come Malaysia International Gourmet Festival end September with the British High Commissioner His Excellency Mr Simon Featherstone who is knee-deep organising or supervising the 14 events to be attended by Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Datin Su Day, Princess Dr Becky Leogardo and HE Madame Gail Featherstone, wife of British High Commissioner HE Simon Featherstone.

Dato Steve Day, Princess Dr Becky Leogardo, Datin Su Day, HE Madame Gail Featherstone and HE Mr Simon Featherstone, the British High Commissioner to Malaysia

Kee Hua Chee joins in wearing Eric Choong Couture

Emcee Bernie Chan and YAM Tunku Dara Tan Sri Tunku Naqiah Tuanku Jaafar, eldest child of HRH Tunku Ampuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Najihah Tunku Besar Burhanuddin

YAM Tunku Dara Tan Sri Tunku Naqiah with her bosom friends
 
Another look at the radiant beauties

Dr Gabriel Peter Saigo, baby Gabor and Joanna Saigo of Wirsol SE Asia

Tengku Nong Soraya, sister of Sultan of Pahang (second from left) with friends

Kee Hua Chee in Eric Choong Couture joins in

THE ARRIVAL OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS TUNKU AMPUAN NEGERI SEMBILAN INTO THE SHANGRI-LA BALLROOM

As Princess Becky Leogardo was conveniently seated near the entrance, she was the first to greet Her Royal Highness Tunku Ampuan Tuanku Najihah

Royal greetings and smiles all round. Her Royal Highness was accompanied by Datin Seri Wendy Lim and Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong

Ever friendly and charming, Her Royal Highness was often to offer her hands to others unsure if they could shake her hands

Tengku Nong Soraya offering congratulations and birthday kiss

Tan Sri offering a smile for my camera as Datin Muni greets the 10th Queen of Malaysia

Puan Sri greeting the former Queen of Malaysia

Two good old friends greeting each other

Birthday kiss

Tunku Dara Tan Sri Naquiah greeting her mother

Tunku Dara Tan Sri Naquiah and the 10th Queen of Malaysia posing for my Leica

Tunku Dara, the 10th Queen of Malaysia, Datin Seri Wendy Lim and Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong
 
Birthday salutation

Datin Leong May Lee greeting Her Royal Highness. Datin Leong is a wellknown singer

Everyone wanted to greet the 10th Queen of  Malaysia

Datin Seri Wendy and Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong in attendance

Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong was the perfect host

Datuk Seri and Datin Seri Lim hosted HRH Tuanku Najihah's 88th birthday

His Excellency Mr Simon Featherstone and HE Mrs Gail Featherstone being introduced to the 10th Queen of Malaysia

Lucky I was tall so could take this photo of His Excellency and Her Excellency Mr and Mrs Simon Featherstone, the British High Commissioner and his wife

Her Royal Highness was the picture of grace and elegance

Only very close relatives were allowed to touch Her Royal Highness Tunku Ampuan Negeri Sembilan

Datuk Seri Mohammad Ozier the son-in-law of the Sultan of Pahang greeting Her Royal Highness

The brother of the Sultan of Pahang greeting HRH

Birthday kiss

A handsome grandson kissing his grandma

Dazzling in blue and silver

Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong, Her Royal Highness Tunku Ampuan Negeri Sembilan and Datin Seri Wendy Lim

Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong, Her Royal Highness Tunku Ampuan Negeri Sembilan and Datin Seri Wendy Lim

YTM Tunku Nurul Hayati and YTM Tunku Laksamana Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaafar

Golden friends

Datuk Seri Lim Huah Leong and Datin Seri Wendy Lim had the great honour of sitting next to the 10th Queen of Malaysia

Sharing a joke

The Royal Table

Guests
Below are foodie pictures!



The early bird





Char Kuay Teow was fried on the spot


Nik Nafisah Marini and Mansor Tun Aziz

Nik Marini from Kelantan and Mansor Tun Aziz

Princess Dr Becky probably buying more jewels from Ming Hong of Christie's

Tunku Myra, daughter of Tg Dara and friends


ENTERTAINMENT OF THE EVENING; FIRST PERFORMER WAS ADIBAH NOOR WHO SANG 'JAI-O' FROM 'SLUM DOG MILLIONAIRE' AND 'POKER FACE' FROM LADY GAGA AND MANY OTHERS


















The 10th Queen of Malaysia enjoying Adibah Noor's performance

THE 'MEN IN BLACK' WERE THE STARS OF THE EVENING!
10 HANDSOME GRANDSONS AND GRANDSONS-IN-LAW OF TUANKU NAJIHAH WENT ON STAGE TO SING FOR THEIR GRANDMOTHER!

Putting on their dark sunglasses after they 'sembah' to Tuanku Najihah



























THANK YOU TUANKU FOR WATCHING OUR SHOW! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

END OF PART 1