HRH Tengku Amir Shah strives to nurture and support Malaysian youths

Six years have passed since Tengku Amir Shah ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah graced our cover. Back then, he was a young man of 26 trying to find his place in the world after living abroad for the better part of a decade. 

“When the interview with Prestige took place in 2015, I had recently returned to Malaysia and was just starting my army career,” says His Royal Highness. 

Heir to the throne of Malaysia’s wealthiest state, HRH Tengku Amir was proclaimed Raja Muda Selangor or the Crown Prince of Selangor at just 11 years old, though his youth relinquished him of any responsibility at that age. He attended boarding school in the United Kingdom and graduated from the University of Leeds with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Ecology and Environmental Biology.

Upon returning to Malaysia, he enrolled into the army as a cadet officer and began training in Port Dickson before leaving for the UK again, this time to spend a year at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Surrey, the same academy attended by English Princes Harry and William. 

“A lot has changed since that last interview, though that might not seem so on the surface,” says the Crown Prince, who was formally installed in 2016. 

“The biggest difference for me was reconnecting with Selangor and Malaysia. In the last few years, I’ve experienced life in the Malaysian army and developed two NGOs from the ground up, the Selangor Youth Community and Yayasan Raja Muda Selangor. Youth development is a keen interest of mine and both tackle different aspects.” 

Before Covid-19 hit, Yayasan Raja Muda Selangor was exploring modest fashion as an entrepreneurship endeavour, as Selangor is keen on promoting Bangi as a fashion retail destination. A network of people was about to kickstart the initiatives when the pandemic struck.  

“Since we had the manpower and equipment ready, we decided to use them,” recalls the charismatic royal. “Instead of making clothes, we fashioned PPEs for hospitals, knocking out 300 units in a single week. It was great to know we could play our part when the country was hit with a crisis.” 

Being known as a turun padang kind of monarch, the Raja Muda made sure he was on the grounds of the recent flood sites in Shah Alam and Klang to help the people with clean-up operations, donations and to ensure their well-being. 

Keeping a low profile and unbothered about stringing along a media entourage, you won’t find his deeds posted on his own social media page for likes. In fact, it was only after some digging did we stumble upon photos of the Raja Muda that were posted by the community.

“Being a royalty is a matter of asking myself what influence and responsibilities I really have,” he ponders. “As a young prince, I feel responsible for making sure that young voices are heard. Selangor and Shah Alam are especially very close to my heart. Approximately 70% of the Shah Alam population is below the age of 35. I feel like I’m driven to provide them with opportunities for the future.” 

Pre-Covid, the royal organised a state exploration program called Jelajah Daerah. The entire agenda was designed to allow the Raja Muda to visit the districts and discover their key people, commerce and issues. That is how, he says, he learned about Selangor over the last five years. 

As first in line to the Head of State title, HRH Tengku Amir shoulders his responsibilities with utmost seriousness. In addition to getting to know the state he will someday rule, he is also the royal patron of numerous organisations and events, including the Water, Air and Food Awards (WAFA), Selangor Football Club, Raja Muda Regatta and Star Sailors League.

While he acknowledges that he does come from a position of privilege, even His Royal Highness is not exempt from stress and fear. “When I went to university, I think I appeared to be a social butterfly because I flitted around, but it was simply because I couldn’t find a group to belong to,” he says. 

“I remember how daunting and stressful it can be trying to find yourself. Mental health is really not something to joke about. When someone says they are sad or hurt, we need to take them seriously. It’s okay to feel down but do reach out for help. I strongly believe workplaces have a role to play in this, and should provide some of that help. It’s one of the causes I stand for.” 

He may have left the troubles of his university days behind, but life in his early 30s is no walk in the park. With all the responsibilities he shoulders, HRH Tengku Amir admits to feeling the pressure and sometimes wanting to just crawl away and hide. 

“I guess it’s the same with most people out there,” he says. “Sometimes there are things you don’t want to face, but when you do, you might feel much better. Some things are like a workout, I think. When you haven’t hit the gym in ages and finally drag yourself there, it might be tough getting through the session, but you feel amazing by the end.”

(Main image: BLAST Rose Gold Skeleton flying tourbillon automatic movement with microrotor, Rose Gold, Ceramic and Black DLC Titanium case in 45 mm with alligator strap watch from ULYSSE NARDIN; O’Connor tuxedo, tuxedo shirt, bow tie and Gianni evening shoes from TOM FORD, The Starhill) 

This story first appeared in Prestige Malaysia’s January 2022 issue. Read the full e-mag for free on Magzter.

The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

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