What Chinese dialects can the Raja Permaisuri Agong speak?

Question

Accepted Answer

The Raja Permaisuri Agong can speak Cantonese and Hokkien.

The Raja Permaisuri Agong has shared her ability to converse in a few Chinese dialects, specifically Cantonese and Hokkien. This linguistic capability stems from her personal heritage, which traces back to Guangdong, China. Her connection to Chinese culture is further cemented by historical family ties, notably the marriage of her ancestor, Sultan Abu Bakar, to Wong Ah Gew in 1885. Wong Ah Gew, who later became Sultanah Fatimah, hailed from a prominent and affluent merchant family based in Singapore.
Tracing Chinese Ancestry

The Raja Permaisuri Agong's lineage includes a notable ancestral connection to China. Her ancestor, Sultan Abu Bakar, married Wong Ah Gew, the daughter of a wealthy Chinese merchant, in 1885. Following the marriage, Wong Ah Gew embraced Islam and became known as Sultanah Fatimah. Historical accounts describe her family as exceptionally prosperous in Singapore, comparable to the depiction of wealth in modern narratives. Sultanah Fatimah bore two daughters, ensuring the continuation of Chinese heritage within the Johor royal family by arranging marriages for her sisters to royal family members.
Childhood Anecdotes and Nicknames

During her childhood, the Raja Permaisuri Agong was the subject of a lighthearted jest by her late father, Sultan Iskandar. He would playfully suggest that she was found in China, a story often linked to a period when she experienced a cross-eye condition and wore spectacles, which her father humorously compared to the appearance of Hong Kong actress Lydia Shum. Due to a lost birth certificate, her father once told her they had "picked her up from a rubbish bin in China," adding that if she lost her certificate again, they would "chop her up piece by piece, to cook as curry and eat, for you to be reborn," a tale that caused her considerable fear as a child. Her resemblance to singer Jenny Tseng when wearing spectacles also led to her receiving a Chinese nickname from her family.
Down-to-Earth Demeanour and Informal Address

In Kuantan, the Raja Permaisuri Agong is recognised for her approachable nature. This characteristic is exemplified by her longstanding friendship with a local handphone shop assistant named Keat. Even when she was the consort of the Pahang crown prince, Keat addressed her informally as "Kakak" (elder sister), unaware of her royal status. This informal address continued even after she ascended to become Raja Permaisuri Agong, with Keat still using the nickname when he contacted her after relocating to Australia. She has expressed comfort with various informal terms of endearment, including "Kakak," "nenek," "popo," or "nana," indicating her preference for being addressed in a familiar manner.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

What Chinese dialects can the Raja Permaisuri Agong speak?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends