Syed Ahmad bin Syed Mahmud Shahabuddin was a Malaysian politician. He was the Menteri Besar of Kedah from 1967 to 1978 and the fifth Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Melaka state from 1984 until 2004, the longest served governor in Malacca.
Life
Syed Ahmad was born on 4 May 1925 in Kulim, Kedah, Malaysia. He is the third son of five brothers and sisters. Syed Ahmad received his early education at Sekolah Melayu Kulim in 1932 till 1935 and continued his education at the Sultan Abdul Hamid College, Alor Star till he passed his Senior Cambridge Examination in 1947. Syed Ahmad had wide experience and actively engaged in politics. He was the Kedah UMNO Assistant Secretary, Secretary Kedah UMNO, Chairman, UMNO State Liaison Committee and Kedah National Front, UMNO Supreme Council Member, and Deputy chairman, UMNO State Liaison Committee and Kedah National Front. Syed Ahmad was appointed as Menteri Besar of Kedah and Deputy Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs. In 1984, he was appointed as the fifth Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Melaka state. Syed Ahmad married Toh Puan Sharifah Haniffah Syed Alwi in 1950 and they had six children. Toh Puan died on 5 July 1993 in Kuala Lumpur. In 1960, H.E. Tun married Toh Puan Datuk Seri Datin Seri Utama Marfuza Sheikh Mohd Osman and they had 4 children.
Death
Syed Ahmad died on 7 July 2008 at his house in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. He was 83 years old. His body was buried at Melaka's State Heroes Mausoleum near Al Azim Mosque in Malacca Town, Melaka. He was the first state leader to be buried there.
There is the mosque Masjid Tun Syed Ahmad Al-Haj in Bukit Beruang, Melaka was named after him.
Honours and titles
He was awarded :
Titles
He held the title of "Tun Datuk Seri Utama" by combination of his highest Federal Malaysian title "Tun" and his highest Malaccan title "Datuk Seri Utama" In other states of Malaysia, a similar combination between his highest Federal Malaysian title "Tun" and his local highest title may be used. Example : Tun Datuk Seri Panglima in Sabah.
