Abdul Rahman of Negeri Sembilan

Abdul Rahman was born on 24 August 1895 at Istana Lama Seri Menanti, the official residence of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan. He was the second son of Tuanku Muhammad ibni Tuanku Antah, the first Yang di-Pertuan Besar of modern Negeri Sembilan and seventh Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Seri Menanti, by his second wife, Tunku Puan Chik. He received his primary education at the Jempol Malay School, and then attended the Malay College in Kuala Kangsar from 1907 to 1914. He worked at the Federal Secretariat in Kuala Lumpur for a year before being appointed as Assistant Collector of Land Revenue in Seremban. He also served in the Malayan Volunteer Infantry as a Second Lieutenant, and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1918. On the death of his elder brother, Tunku Abdul Aziz, in 1917, he was groomed as heir to the throne and received the title of Tunku Muda Serting. He was later appointed as Assistant Malay Officer in Klang, Sepang, and Ulu Selangor, and as Assistant District Officer in Kuala Lumpur. The turning point of his career was in 1925, when he served for a short period in the Kuala Lumpur Supreme Court. In 1925, he accompanied his father, who was then the ruler of Negeri Sembilan, on a trip to the United Kingdom for the British Empire Exhibition in Wembley and to visit King George V. He impressed the British officials with his intelligence and diplomatic skills, and was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1926. He also obtained a certificate of legal practice from the Inner Temple in London, becoming the only Malay ruler who held an advocate and solicitor's qualifications. In 1927, he married his first wife, Cik Engku Maimunah binti Abdullah, also known as Dulcie Campbell, a Scottish-Malay woman who converted to Islam. He later married three more wives, Tunku Maharun binti Tengku Mambang, Tunku Kurshiah binti Tunku Besar Burhanuddin, and Tunku Zaidah binti Tunku Zakaria. He had eight children, four sons and four daughters, from his marriages. On 3 August 1933, he succeeded his father as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, and was installed on 25 April 1934. He ruled Negeri Sembilan with wisdom and compassion, and was respected by his subjects and the British colonial authorities. He was also active in various Malay organisations, such as the Malay Rulers Conference, the Malay Association, and the Malay College Old Boys Association. He was a patron of education, sports, and culture, and promoted the welfare of the Malay community. During the Japanese occupation of Malaya from 1942 to 1945, he remained in Negeri Sembilan and tried to protect his people from the atrocities of the invaders. He also refused to cooperate with the Japanese-sponsored Malayan Union scheme, which aimed to undermine the sovereignty and status of the Malay rulers. After the war, he joined forces with the other Malay rulers and the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) to oppose the Malayan Union, and to demand for a greater role of the Malays in the governance of Malaya. He was instrumental in the formation of the Federation of Malaya in 1948, which restored the powers and privileges of the Malay rulers and recognised the special position of the Malays in Malaya. He also played a key role in the drafting of the Federation of Malaya Agreement and the Constitution of Malaya, which laid the foundations for the independence of Malaya from British colonial rule. On 31 August 1957, he was elected by the Conference of Rulers as the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong or Paramount Ruler of the newly independent Federation of Malaya. He was installed on 2 September 1957, and served as the constitutional head of state and the symbol of national unity. He worked closely with the first Prime Minister of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman, who was his distant relative, and supported the policies and programs of the federal government. He also maintained good relations with the other Malay rulers, the heads of other religious communities, and the foreign dignitaries. He was a popular and respected figure among the people of Malaya, and was affectionately known as "Tuanku" or "His Majesty". He was also honoured with various awards and titles, such as the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) in 1957, the Order of the Crown of Johor (First Class) in 1958, and the Order of the Defender of the Realm (First Class) in 1959. He was also the first Chancellor of the University of Malaya, the first President of the Boy Scouts Association of Malaya, and the first Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Malay Regiment. He died on 1 April 1960 at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur, after a brief illness. He was buried at the Seri Menanti Royal Mausoleum in Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan, on 5 April 1960. He was succeeded by his son, Tuanku Munawir, as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, and by Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah of Selangor, as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya. He is remembered as one of the greatest Malay leaders of the 20th century, and as a pioneer of Malaya's independence and nationhood.