Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan
Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan binti Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah (born 11 November 1992) is a Malaysian mental health activist and member of the Pahang royal family who is the Tengku Puteri Raja. She is the eldest daughter of Al-Sultan Abdullah, the 6th Sultan of Pahang and 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) of Malaysia. She serves as the royal patron of the J’keb Foundation and the National Coalition for Mental Wellbeing. Tengku Iman was appointed by the World Health Organization to serve as the International Patron of World Mental Health Day in 2020.
| Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tengku Puteri Raja | |||||
| Born | Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan binti Tengku Abdullah Al-Haj 11 November 1992 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | ||||
| Spouse | YHM Tengku Dato’ Sri Abu Bakar Ahmad (m. 2018) | ||||
| Issue |
| ||||
| |||||
| House | Bendahara (by birth) | ||||
| Father | Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah | ||||
| Mother | Che Puan Julia Abdul Rais | ||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam | ||||
| Occupation | Activist | ||||
Early life edit
Tengku Iman was born at Pantai Hospital in Kuala Lumpur on 11 November 1992.[1] She is the daughter of Al-Sultan Abdullah, the 6th Sultan of Pahang and 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and his second wife Che Puan Julia Rais, a former actress and model.[2][3] She is of British and Malay descent. She is Al-Sultan Abdullah's oldest daughter and the oldest child from his second marriage.[4][5]
She attended the University of Nottingham in England where she studied political science.[5][6]
Activism and patronages edit
On 18 September 2019, Tengku Iman accepted her appointment as the patron of the J’keb Foundation, which provides support for underprivileged teenagers and runs a transition home for aged-out orphans that are required to leave orphanages when they turn eighteen.[7]
Tengku Iman served as Malaysia's Royal Patron of the Mental Illness Awareness and Support Association from 2018 to 2020.[4][8][9] She was named as the International Patron of World Mental Health Day in 2020 by the World Health Organization following a recommendation made by the World Federation for Mental Health.[4][10][11] Her term as international patron will end in October 2021.[10][12][13] She is also one of the jurors on the My Mind On Film Festival Competition.[14]
On 10 September 2020, World Suicide Prevention Day, Tengku Iman called for reform to suicide legislation in Malaysia, urging the federal government to decriminalize suicide in order to end the stigmatization of mental health, while speaking at the launch of the Mental Illness Awareness and Support Association's new crisis management centre at the Orchid Clubhouse in Petaling Jaya.[4][15] She stated that criminalizing suicide does not address the underlying factors and does not help reduce the number of suicides committed in Malaysia.[4] Tengku Iman went on to say that the current laws discourage people suffering with mental illnesses to seek help and treatment.[4] Elaborating on Malaysia's efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, she said she was certain that the country's public health standards should include mental healthcare.[4]
On 10 October 2020, she was joined by her father and her stepmother, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, in wearing green ribbons to show support for World Mental Health Day.[16]
On 5 November 2020, Tengku Iman hosted a virtual meeting via Zoom Video Communications with students at HELP University and abroad in the United Kingdom to discuss mental health at universities.[14] She addressed additional strains on mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic, causing isolation from friends and family, and offered solutions to support good mental health.[14]
On 10 December 2020, she was appointed as the Royal Patron of the National Coalition for Mental Wellbeing. She co-founded her own platform called the Green Ribbon Group which aims to push forward the mental health agenda and de-stigmatise mental illnesses in Malaysia.[17] In 2020, in recommendation by the World Federation for Mental Health, she was named International Patron of World Mental Health Day by the World Health Organisation.[17]
Marriage and issue edit
On 4 August 2018, Tengku Iman married Yang Hormat Mulia Tengku Dato’ Sri Abu Bakar Ahmad bin Almarhum Tengku Arif Bendahara Tengku Tan Sri Abdullah.[18][5] She is a first cousin-once removed of her husband, who is a nephew of her grandfather, Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang.[19]
On 23 July 2019, Tengku Iman gave birth to a son, named Tengku Zayn Edin Shah.[18][20] On 2 February 2022, she gave birth to a daughter, named Tengku Aleya Norlini.[21]
Personal life edit
Tengku Iman suffered from an anxiety disorder when she was a teenager.[9][22] She is a practitioner of Sunni Islam and considers herself "spiritual".[23]
Honours edit
Honour of Pahang edit
She was awarded:
- Pahang :
- Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) - Dato' Sri (15 August 2020)[24][25]
Honorary doctorate edit
- Malaysia :
- Honorary degree Doctor of the University from the Heriot-Watt University Malaysia - (17 November 2022)[26][27]
Her husband Tengku Dato' Sri Abu Bakar Ahmad, has been awarded:
- Pahang:
- Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) – Dato' Sri (4 August 2023)[28]
- Grand Knight of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (SIMP) – Dato' Indera (15 August 2020)[29]
References edit
- ^ "Potret Cantik 3 Putri Raja Malaysia yang Ikut Berkunjung ke Kraton Yogyakarta". Tribun Jogja.
- ^ Solehah, Attiqah (21 June 2019). ""Menempah Bidan" Royal Ceremony Of Agung's Daughter, Tunku Puteri Iman Afzan". Xtra.
- ^ "Move over Kate and Meghan: 5 Malaysian royals who are making their mark". South China Morning Post. 23 March 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g Xiang, Yap Wan (11 September 2020). "Agong's Daughter Calls For Decriminalisation Of Suicide". SAYS.
- ^ a b c "Jelita dan bijak, ini puteri-puteri raja Pahang". www.astroawani.com. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Ng, Karmun (11 October 2020). "Meet Malaysia's International Patron of World Mental Health Day 2020, YAM Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan Al-Sultan Abdullah".
- ^ "King's daughter is new patron of foundation for underprivileged teenagers". The Mole.
- ^ "Video". www.astroawani.com. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ a b Times, New Straits (6 October 2019). "The strength within: Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan opens up to NST about mental health | New Straits Times". NST Online.
- ^ a b "Agong, permaisuri, anakanda pakai reben hijau". Berita Harian. 10 October 2020.
- ^ "King's eldest daughter appointed World Mental Health Day 2020 international patron". The Star.
- ^ "Agong, Permaisuri dan anakanda beriben hijau sempena Hari Kesihatan Mental Sedunia". www.astroawani.com. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Congratulations". www.kln.gov.my. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ a b c "YAM TENGKU PUTERI IMAN AFZAN REACHES OUT TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH OF MALAYSIAN STUDENTS AT HOME AND IN UK". 6 November 2020.
- ^ "What have Asian and European royals been up to during the pandemic?". CNA Luxury.
- ^ "King, queen join daughter in showing support for World Mental Health Day". 10 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan Al-Sultan Abdullah". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Agong's daughter Tengku Iman gives birth to her first child — a baby boy | Malay Mail". www.malaymail.com.
- ^ "Monarchies Today - Royalty around the globe".
- ^ "Agong, Raja Permaisuri timang cucu lelaki". www.astroawani.com. 23 July 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Seri Paduka Berkenan Kongsi Nama, Gambar Cucunda – YM Tengku Nuh Muhammad Shah & YM Tengku Aleya Norlini!" [His Majesty shared grandchildrens' names, pictures – YM Tengku Nuh Muhammad Shah & YM Tengku Aleya Norlini!]. Nona (in Malay). 3 February 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ "King of Malaysia's daughter, millennial mum and mental health advocate with supermodel looks – who is Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan?". www.msn.com.
- ^ Times, New Straits (6 October 2019). "The strength within: Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan opens up to NST about mental health | New Straits Times". NST Online.
- ^ "Eight of King's children receive Pahang state awards". Bernama. 15 August 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ^ "8 anakanda Agong terima darjah kebesaran Pahang" (in Malay). Berita Harian. 15 August 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ^ HWUM (17 November 2022) Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan binti Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah was conferred an Honorary Degree, “Doctor of the University”, by Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM). Heriot-Watt University. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ Rowena Chua (16 November 2022) The Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s eldest princess Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan Al-Sultan Abdullah will be awarded an honorary degree of “Doctor of the University” by Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) on Thursday (Nov 17). The Star. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Tengku Abu Bakar Ahmad Al-Marhum is conferred the Sri Sultan Ahmad Shah Pahang (SSAP) award which carries the title of Dato' Sri". New Straits Times. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ "King's children head honours list". The Star Online. 16 August 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.