Sultan Abu Bakar Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mu’azzam Shah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abdullah Al-Mu’tassim Billah Shah (29 May 1904 – 5 May 1974), was the fourth modern Sultan of Pahang.

Life

Born on 29 May 1904 at Istana Hinggap, Pekan, he was the second son of Sultan Abdullah Al-Mu’tassim Billah Shah by his second wife, Kalsum binti Abdullah. Succeeding his father in 1932, he quickly became known as a friendly and approachable ruler by his subjects. During the

Japanese occupation of Malaya The then British colony of Malaya was gradually occupied by the Japanese between 8 December 1941 and the Allied surrender at Singapore on 16 February 1942. The Japanese remained in occupation until their surrender to the Allies in 1945. The ...

, he discreetly encouraged resistance movements such as the Askar Wataniah,

Force 136 Force 136 was a far eastern branch of the British World War II intelligence organisation, the Special Operations Executive (SOE). Originally set up in 1941 as the India Mission with the cover name of GSI(k), it absorbed what was left of SOE's Or ...

and the

MPAJA The Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) was a communist guerrilla army that resisted the Japanese occupation of Malaya from 1941 to 1945. Composed mainly of ethnic Chinese guerrilla fighters, the MPAJA was the largest anti-Japanese res ...

. However, due to his penchant for marrying commoners, including several popular actresses and singers, he was less popular with other Malay rulers and they declined to choose him as

Yang di-Pertuan Agong The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (, Jawi: ), also known as the Supreme Head of the Federation, the Paramount Ruler or simply as the Agong, and unofficially as the King of Malaysia, is the constitutional monarch and head of state of Malaysia. The o ...

of Malaysia in five separate times.

Family

He was married to Tengku Ampuan Pahang Raja Fatimah, the daughter of Sultan

Iskandar of Perak Sultan Iskandar Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Idris Murshidul Azzam Shah Rahmatullah (10 May 1881 – 14 August 1938) was the 30th Sultan of Perak. Perak at that time was part of the British-administered Federated Malay States. He stayed at the Ist ...

, in

Kuala Kangsar The Kuala Kangsar (Perak Malay: ''Kole Kangso'') is the royal town of Perak, Malaysia. It is located at the downstream of Kangsar River where it joins the Perak River, approximately northwest of Ipoh, Perak's capital, and southeast of ...

, Perak. His marriage was a marriage between two royal relatives. He died on 5 May 1974 at the Istana Peninjau, Kampung Padang Polo, Pekan at aged 69 and was succeeded by his son Sultan Ahmad Shah.

Honours

Honours of Pahang

MY-PAH_Family_Order_of_the_Crown_of_Indra_of_Pahang_-_DK_I

Founding Grand Master of the

Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang The Most Esteemed Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang ( Malay: ''Darjah Kerabat Sri Indera Mahkota Pahang Yang Amat Dihormati'') is an honorific order of the Sultanate of Pahang. History Instituted on 25 May 1967, the order is awarde ...

(25 May 1967) * MY-PAH_Order_of_the_Crown_of_Pahang_-_Grand_Knight_-_SIMP

Founding Grand Master of the

Order of the Crown of Pahang The Esteemed Order of the Crown of Pahang ( Malay: '' Darjah Kebesaran Mahkota Pahang Yang Amat Mulia'') is a knighthood order of the Sultanate of Pahang. History The order was founded by Sultan Abu Bakar on 27 December 1968. It is awarded ...

(27 December 1968)

Honour of Malaya

* : ** Recipient of the Order of the Crown of the Realm (DMN) (31 August 1958)

Honour of other State

* : **

Most Esteemed Royal Family Order of Johor - ribbon bar

First Class of the Royal Family Order of Johor (DK I) (1965) * : ** MY-KED_Royal_Family_Order_of_Kedah_(DK)

Member of the

Royal Family Order of Kedah The Most Illustrious Royal Family Order of Kedah (Bahasa Melayu: ''Darjah Kerabat Yang Amat Mulia Kedah'') is an honorific order of the Sultanate of Kedah. History It was founded by Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah on 21 February 1964. Classes It ...

(DK) (1969) * : ** MY-PERA_Royal_Family_Order_of_Perak_-_DK_(before_2001)

Member of the Royal Family Order of Perak (DK) (1970)

Foreign honours

* : **

Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) – Sir (1 June 1953) * : ** BRU_Family_Order_of_Brunei_2nd_Class

Member of the Family Order of Seri Utama (DK) - Dato Seri Utama (1958)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abu Bakar Of Pahang Sultans of Pahang Bakar, Sultan Abu Bakar, Sultan Abu Malaysian Muslims Malaysian people of Malay descent Malayan people of World War II People of British Malaya Bakar, Sultan Abu 20th-century Malaysian politicians Recipients of the Order of the Crown of the Realm First Classes of the Royal Family Order of Johor