Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, the 35th Sultan of Perak, is known as a kind Ruler who is well loved and highly respected by his subjects.

As His Royal Highness celebrates his official birthday today, the Ruler continues to have the interests of all Malaysians, and not just the people of Perak, at heart.

Building bridges across differences

One of the country’s leading intellectual voices, Sultan Nazrin is highly respected for his views on global issues, as well as his advocacy of humanism and national unity.

In his keynote address during the 8th World Conference on Islamic Thought and Civilisation held in Ipoh in July, Sultan Nazrin highlighted the principle of “Everyone Matters”.

Tuanku said national integrity is not maintained by enforcing uniformity or silencing dissent, but by ensuring every community, race and religion has a genuine stake in the nation’s success.

Sultan Nazrin signing the commemorative plaque to officially open the Sultan Nazrin Shah PERKESO Rehabilitation Centre in Meru Raya, Ipoh, in June. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star

The Ruler added that people must guard against the exploitation of religious sentiment for narrow political ends to preserve integrity in Malaysia and the wider Muslim world.

At the Third International Summit of Religious Leaders 2026 held in Kuala Lumpur in June, Sultan Nazrin also reminded the people that every human being, regardless of their faith, belongs to one another.

The Ruler said diminishing the dignity of another’s faith does not elevate one’s own.

His Royal Highness also called on religious leaders to build spaces for youths of different faiths to interact peacefully.

The Ruler noted that it is not the people’s role to manage the world’s diversity, but to help humanity coexist.

During the opening of the Sultan Nazrin Shah Social Security Organisation’s (PERKESO) Rehabilitation Centre in Ipoh in June, the Ruler said everyone must be cared for, including those facing hardship.

Society, His Royal Highness added, must strive to eliminate prejudice and refrain from looking down on those living with physical disabilities or those who have sustained injuries.

Beyond fostering a more inclusive society, Sultan Nazrin has also emphasised the importance of promoting public well-being. During a walkabout at the Ramadan Bazaar held at Kuala Kangsar Arena in February, Sultan Nazrin also advised traders to reduce the amount of sugar used in their food.

Sultan Nazrin doing a royal salute while inspecting the guard of honour at the Perak-level National Day 2026 celebration in Ipoh on Aug 31.

Safeguarding national stability

Sultan Nazrin has also been vocal about how leaders in the country should act and always prioritise national interests.

The Ruler highlighted that leaders who act impulsively, emotionally and recklessly, driven by personal feelings, could cause serious consequences for the country and its people.

Speaking at a national-level Maal Hijrah celebration in June, His Royal Highness said leaders who make hasty decisions without careful thought and prioritised short-term interests would ultimately cause harm, with innocent citizens bearing the brunt of their actions.

A good leader, Sultan Nazrin added, must be calm, open-minded, careful and able to make well-informed decisions.

His Royal Highness had also called on all politicians to work together to soften the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on the people.

Tuanku said both government and opposition leaders, together with the community, need to safeguard stability and protect the country and its people from the prolonged crisis.

Delivering his keynote address during the 8th World Conference on Islamic Thought and Civilisation in Ipoh in July, highlighting the principle of ‘Everyone Matters’. — Photos from Pejabat Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Perak’s Facebook page

In Tuanku’s royal address at the 175th Perak Dewan Negara meeting, held at Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar, Sultan Nazrin said members of the Perak Dewan Negara and dignitaries of the Royal Court must avoid disputes, struggles for influence and the formation of factions.

The Ruler called for mutual consultation, with any disagreements resolved through honest and courteous dialogue and the interests of the state placed above personal gains.

Upholding Islamic values

As the chair of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI), His Royal Highness is also concerned about the moral, cultural and spiritual state of the Muslim community (ummah).

Sultan Nazrin said that while everyone embraces globalism, there needs to be caution about its influence on Muslim character and the identity of the ummah.

The Ruler said social media, popular culture, entertainment and global lifestyles should be approached with wisdom and thoughtful care.

Sultan Nazrin stressed the need to strike the right balance to ensure modernity does not erode Muslim principles and identity.

At the 75th MKI meeting in Kuala Lumpur recently, Sultan Nazrin said that a culture of shura, or consultation, and adab, or civility, must be strengthened at all levels of the community to ensure differences of opinion are managed with knowledge, patience and respect.

His Royal Highness said shura allows diverse views to be heard, while adab ensures differences are handled respectfully, courteously, and wisely.

Sultan Nazrin stressed that shura should be conducted with decorum and must not become a platform for competing for influence.

Sultan Nazrin, who is also WWF-Malaysia royal patron, and Raja Permaisuri Tuanku Zara Salim (in yellow jacket) joining participants during the Run for Tigers: The Long Run event at Putrajaya Wetlands Park in August. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

At the 74th MKI meeting held in January, Sultan Nazrin voiced concern over segments of the Muslim community who appear to have lost their moral compass, becoming trapped in materialism, obsessed with status and intoxicated by power.

His Royal Highness said material wealth had become a new creed among certain sections of the ummah, fuelling unhealthy rivalry, ethical lapses and a loss of humanity, with integrity being sacrificed in the pursuit of material gain.

At the Muslim Welfare Organisation of Malaysia International Wakaf Dakwah Convention 2026 in July, Sultan Nazrin delivered a strong message on the mismanagement of wakaf (Islamic endowments).

The Ruler emphasised that the management of endowment properties is a profound moral trust requiring absolute transparency and sound governance.

Technology needs governance

In the Ruler’s special address at the 17th Securities Commission-Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Roundtable held in the United Kingdom in September, Sultan Nazrin pointed out that principles of Islamic finance could lead the way in sustainable investment as the world seeks to mobilise the vast amounts of capital needed to address the climate crisis.

Tuanku said a system that links finance to the real economy, with capital that serves productive and beneficial ends, shares risk rather than shifting it onto others, and prohibits reckless or harmful practices would be best suited to the demands of sustainable investment.

The Ruler visiting the Sultan Nazrin Shah PERKESO Rehabilitation Centre in Meru Raya in June.

In April, Sultan Nazrin also called for better regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent its misuse.

The Ruler said that, as with some technologies that had been misused in the past, better governance was needed for other converging technologies such as AI and quantum computing.

AI, Sultan Nazrin said, could be deployed in military applications that could lead to conflict, while automation bias could cause people to place excessive trust in machines, potentially resulting in unethical or rule-breaking decisions.

Championing a greener future

Sultan Nazrin had also consistently advocated urgent action at global, regional and state levels to combat environmental crises.

Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Global Tipping Points Conference in October, Sultan Nazrin called on leaders, as well as the people, to address environmental challenges.

Tuanku said that while the impact of global warming could be dire, damage can still be reversed through collective community efforts.

Tuanku noted that the environment is a trust that needs to be protected, and that no generation has the right to consume the inheritance of the next.

Engaging with communities

Sultan Nazrin has joined the people at various events, including the state Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri open houses earlier this year.

Other events the Sultan graced included the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Show in Serdang, Run for Tigers: The Long Run, the national-level Teachers’ Day celebration and the state-level Warriors’ Day celebration.

Sultan Nazrin greeting people at Ubudiah Mosque in Kuala Kangsar ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri prayers in March.

During the 2026 state-level National Day awards ceremony in Ipoh, Sultan Nazrin presented awards and contributions to 11 national security heroes for their exceptional sacrifices in securing Malaysia’s sovereignty.

Tuanku also officially opened the Sultan Nazrin Shah 69 Komando Camp in Ulu Kinta, Sultan Nazrin Shah PERKESO Rehabilitation Centre, SM Agama Rakyat Orang Asli Nurul Hidayah in Sungai Siput, Parit Buntar Hospital, Seri Iskandar Hospital and Muallim district police headquarters.

A life of distinction

Born on Nov 27, 1956, in George Town, Penang, Sultan Nazrin is the eldest of five children born to the late Sultan Azlan Shah and former Raja Permaisuri Tuanku Bainun.

Sultan Nazrin Shah being entertained alongside state dignitaries with a lion dance during the state-level Chinese New Year celebration at Stadium Indera Mulia in February. — Photos from Pejabat Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Perak’s Facebook page

Tuanku received his early education at Sekolah Rendah Jalan Kuantan and St John’s Institution in Kuala Lumpur.

The Ruler later attended the Malay College Kuala Kangsar before pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford.

Sultan Nazrin holds a master’s degree in Public Administration and a PhD in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University.

Tuanku ascended the Perak throne as the state’s 35th Sultan on May 29, 2014, following the passing of his father.

Sultan Nazrin married Raja Permaisuri Tuanku Zara Salim on May 17, 2007. They have two children, Raja Azlan Muzzaffar Shah and Raja Nazira Safya Shah.