Almarhum Raja Ashman Shah ibni Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, the Raja Kecil Sulong of Perak, passes away

Almarhum Raja Ashman Shah ibni Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, Raja Kecil Sulong 2010-2012, at the opening of the Perak Sultanate Exhibition at the Ipoh Town Hall in February 2012. (Photo: YM Raja Mariam Raja Mohamed Iskandar)

Almarhum Raja Ashman Shah ibni Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah died in the early hours of Friday, 30 March 2012, at his residence in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. Almarhum’s remains were brought to Istana Iskandariah and was subsequently interred at the Al-Ghufran Royal Mausoleum after Asar prayers at Masjid Ubudiah.

The atmosphere at Bukit Chandan was described as solemn and many, both from the extended Royal Family as well as the rakyat, were in attendance. YM Raja Mariam Raja Mohamed Iskandar who attended described the scene at Al-Ghufran, “There was a sea of people at the Makam yesterday. Even if I had passed by my own mother, there was every likelihood that I wouldn’t have noticed her. For the most part, I just couldn’t focus on the faces… there were too many. But I did notice an air of quiet dignity in the sadness among many of them. For me, the most profound and poignant part of the funeral was the non-stop salawat/dzikir, echoing throughout the funeral procession till the very end of the burial. A fitting farewell for a much loved and respected Prince who had revered his God and the Prophet”. Almarhum’s remains were carried on the siraja Di-Raja by members of the Royal Malay Regiment and Royal Malaysian Police from Istana Iskandariah to Masjid Ubudiah. Also in attendance were the members of the Johor and Perak royal family, as well as the Prime Minister and some members of his cabinet.

The Siraja DiRaja carried by members of the Malaysian Armed Forces arriving at Masjid Ubudiah. (Photo: YM Raja Mariam Raja Mohamed Iskandar)

Almarhum Raja Ashman Shah’s remains being carried to Al-Ghufran after jenazah prayers at Masjid Ubudiah. (Photo: YM Raja Mariam Mohamed Iskandar)

We at SembangKuala would like to extend our deepest condolences to Almarhum’s family – DYMM Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuf Izzudin Ghafarullahu-lah, the Sultan of Perak; DYMM Tuanku Bainun binti Mohd Ali, the Raja Permaisuri of Perak; DYTM Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah ibni Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, the Raja Muda of Perak; YTM Raja Ahmad Nazim Azlan Shah ibni Almarhum Raja Ashman Shah, the Raja Kecil Tengah of Perak; YAM Raja Dato’ Seri Azureen binti Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah; YAM Raja Dato’ Seri Eleena binti Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah; YAM Raja Dato’ Seri Yong Sofia binti Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah; Dato’ Seri Noraini Jane binti Tan Sri Kamarul Ariffin; YM Raja Emina Aliyyah binti Almarhum Raja Ashman Shah and YM Raja Bainunnisa Safia binti Almarhum Raja Ashman Shah; as well as the rest of Almarhum’s family.

May Allah swt grant Almarhum jannah. Al-Fatihah.

Keris Almarhum Sultan Ali

Keris Almarhum Sultan Ali (kanan) di muzium V&A, London. (Photo: Raja Mahariz Raja Muzaffar)

Gambar di atas menunjukkan dua keris yang berasal dari negeri Perak, dan sekarang dipamerkan di muzium Victoria & Albert di London. Mengikut keterangan di pameran tersebut, keris di sebelah kanan merupakan keris kepunyaan Almarhum Sultan Ali yang dikatakan mangkat pada tahun 1671. Kami di SembangKuala berpendapat yang jika benar keris ini dahulunya kepunyaan Almarhum Sultan Ali Al-Mukammal Inayat Shah, tarikh 1671 adalah salah kerana Almarhum mangkat pada tahun 1871. Keris ini bertatahkan perak dan kaca.

Keris yang di sebelah kiri pula mempunyai hulu yang dibuat dari tulang binatang dan diukir bentuk kepala burung. Tidak diketahui pula siapa tuan asal keris berhulukan kepala burung ini. Kedua-dua keris ini berada dalam koleksi E.S. Wilkinson sebelum diberi kepada muzium V&A.

A quandary, part 2 – an Istana in Kuala Kangsar, c.1927

Following our first quandary here, we would like some help from our kind readers (especially those from Bukit Chandan) to help us with this photo. You may enlarge the photo by clicking on it.

A group photo with Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, likely to be in conjunction with the retirement of CWC Parr, the then British Resident, c.1927 (Source: Arkib Negara Malaysia)

The photo is of Almarhum Sultan Iskandar with the Raja-Raja Bergelar (all seated at the front), the Sultan’s ADC and CWC Parr, the British Resident of Perak who was then retiring. We feel that this photo was taken in 1927 on the occasion of CWC Parr’s retirement as resident, as if you look at the photo below in front of Istana Merchu, Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, the Raja-Raja Bergelar, Mr Parr and the ADC are wearing the exact clothes they wore in the larger photo.

Almarhum Sultan Iskandar and the Raja-Raja Bergelar at C.W.C. Parr's retirement at Istana Merchu, 1927. (Source: Private collection of the family of Allahyarham Raja Datom Badri Shah bin RKS Harun Al-Rashid)

The puzzling thing is that the main photo of the Istana was labelled as ‘Istana KUNING’.

Interestingly it looks like Istana Lembah, and the reasons why we do not think it is Istana Lembah are as follows:
1. this Istana looks ‘bigger’
2. the front portion of this Istana has opened up serambi (verandahs)
3. the wings of this Istana is longer, and Istana Lembah does not
4. more importantly, if this was 1927, the construction of Istana Lembah by Tukang Sofian and his sons was not finished yet! (it was completed in 1931)

As for point [2], Istana Lembah had been renovated in the 1960s under instruction from the then PM, Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman, but we find it hard to believe that they would demolish the serambi. We do know that there is also a likelihood that the year 1927 may be wrong, as some records do say Parr retired in 1925. Nevertheless, it still wouldn’t make sense as Istana Lembah was completed in 1931.

There was an Istana Kuning which is now no more, hence this new quandary. So, if you can help, we look forward to read your comments. No prizes, unfortunately!