Solemn: Tunku Ampuan Najihah being taken from Istana Nurul Jannah in Bukit Tunku to Istana Seri Meranti, Negri Sembilan. — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: The former Tunku Ampuan of Negri Sembilan, Tunku Ampuan Najihah Almarhum Tunku Besar Burhanuddin (pic), has been laid to rest at the Seri Menanti Royal Mausoleum following the lying-in-state at Istana Besar Seri Menanti.
Tunku Ampuan Najihah passed away at the age of 100 at a hospital here at 6.53am yesterday.
Born on Sept 1, 1923, in Seri Menanti, Kuala Pilah, she received her early education at Tengku Mohamad School Kuala Pilah before pursuing her tertiary education at School of Oriental and African Studies, London.
She married Tuanku Jaafar Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman on Aug 8, 1942, and they were blessed with three sons and three daughters.
Tuanku Jaafar died in 2008 at the age of 86.
Tunku Ampuan Najihah, who reigned in her state from 1967 to 2008, also served as the country’s Raja Permaisuri Agong when Tuanku Jaafar ascended the federal throne as the 10th Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1994 to 1999.
Once dubbed the “People’s Queen”, Tunku Ampuan Najihah was known as an active queen who loved sports and was once the president and patron of several associations, including the Tunku Ampuan Badminton Team, the Malaysian Women’s Hockey Team, the Malaysian Women’s Golf Association and the Malaysian Girl Guides Association.
She was also the former Chancellor of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia.
Tunku Ampuan Najihah was conferred the Tun Fatimah “Srikandi Negara” Award in 1999.
She was known as the “Lady with a Heart of Gold” following her commitment and involvement in charity work to help and ensure the well-being of the poor and the underprivileged.
For that, several charity homes and orphanages in the country and in the state were also named after her, such as Taman Sinar Harapan Tuanku Ampuan Najihah, Tuanku Najihah Foundation and Tuanku Najihah Children’s Home.
Negri Sembilan observed a one-day mourning period yesterday, with the state flag flown at half-mast statewide throughout the mourning period, while mosques and surau there were encouraged to hold tahlil prayers. — Bernama
