KUALA KANGSAR, May 18 (Bernama) -- Tuanku Zara Salim who married Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah yesterday, was proclaimed Raja Puan Besar Perak at a ceremony in Istana Iskandariah, Bukit Chandan, here this morning.
The proclamation was read out by Orang Kaya Temenggong Paduka Raja, Datuk Seri Wan Fathir Wan Hussain who then cried out "Daulat, Daulat, Daulat" followed by the guests present and the sound of the nobat (royal court music ensemble).
Tuanku Zara is the great-granddaughter of the 24th Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah.
The title of Raja Puan Besar Perak had been vacant for the last two decades.
The proclamation ceremony that began at 10.05am, was attended by close members of the Perak royalty and 150 dignitaries at the Bilik Istiadat (Ceremonial Room) of the palace, with Wan Fathir, who is also the Orang Besar Jajahan (territorial chief) Kuala Kangsar, reading out the proclamation before the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah.
The conferment of the title was made under Section 2, Article 35 (1) of the Perak State Constitution which empowers the Sultan to bestow the title on the consort of the Raja Muda of Perak.
The proclamation reads: "We hereby bestow the title Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Raja Puan Besar Perak upon Zara Salim, consort of his Royal Highness Raja Nazrin Shah, the Crown Prince of the State of Perak Darul Ridzuan effective May 18, 2007. With this proclamation of title, Zara Salim will be addressed as Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Raja Puan Besar Perak Darul Ridzuan, Tuanku Zara Salim.
"It is now ordered for the Royal kingship, the elderly respected chieftains, officials and our beloved people and to whom it may concern to be informed of this proclamation and to adhere to this decree at all times."
Accompanied by Tunku Soraya Sultan Abdul Halim and Datuk Seri Noraini Jane, Tuanku Zara who was clad in a golden French lace long kebaya, appeared before Sultan Azlan Shah to receive the letter of proclamation.
Tunku Soraya is the daughter of the Sultan of Kedah and wife of Raja Kechil Sulung of Perak Raja Datuk Seri Iskandar Dzulkarnain Almarhum Sultan Idris, while Noraini Jane is the wife of the Raja Kechil Tengah Raja Datuk Seri Ashman Shah.
At the ceremony, Sultan Azlan Shah also bestowed on Tuanku Zara the Darjah Kerabat Seri Paduka Sultan Azlan Shah Perak Yang Dihormati (DKSA), the highest award specially given to a member of the royal family.
The ceremony was also witnessed by Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Bainun, the Raja Muda, Raja Dihilir Perak Raja Datuk Seri Jaafar Raja Muda Musa, Tuanku Zara's parents Salim Davidson and Sharifah Azaliah Tan Sri Syed Omar Shahabudin, and Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali and his wife.
The title of Raja Puan Besar Perak which is meant for the consort of the Raja Muda Perak had been vacant since two decades ago following the demise of the Raja Muda then, Raja Ahmad Siffuddin Sultan Iskandar Shah, in April 1987.
It was last held by Raja Ahmad Siffuddin's consort Raja Nor Izan Raja Abdul Rashid for three years and after his demise, she used the title of Yang Teramat Mulia. Raja Nor Izan died on July 14, 1998.
Tuanku Zara, 34, the youngest of four siblings, graduated in chemical engineering from Nottingham University and had served with Petronas subsidiary Petlin (M) Sdn Bhd as product manager.
She had also been vice-president (Partnerships & Alliances) of technology-based Formis (Malaysia) Berhad, listed on Bursa Malaysia.
Before marrying the Raja Muda, Ipoh-born Tuanku Zara was managing director of Kuala Lumpur-based Forthwave Consulting Sdn Bhd which is involved in software development and hydrocarbon technical engineering.
The only daughter of well-known lawyer Salim Davidson and Sharifah Azaliah, the sports-loving Tuanku Zara was a Perak state swimmer.
Sharifah Azaliah is the daughter of Kedah's third Menteri Besar and Tunku Aminah Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, who was the sister of Malaysia's first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj.
The marriage of Tuanku Zara and Raja Nazrin will strengthen the already close Kedah-Perak royal ties.
