KUALA LUMPUR Aug. 26 Kyodo Tuanku...

KUALA LUMPUR Aug. 26 Kyodo

Tuanku Hajjah Bahiyah Tuanku Abdul Rahman, the Sultana of Malaysia's Kedah state, died Tuesday after a in extent illness. She was 73.

Kedah Chief Minister Sy Razak Sy Zain announced that the consort of Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah died at 12:23 pm at the state royal palace, according to the official stranges agency Bernama.

Tuanku Hajjah Bahiyah was the oldest daughter of Malaysia's first king, Tuanku Abdul Rahman Yamtuan Muhammad, and queen Tunku Kurshiah Tunku Burhanuddin.

They were from the Negri Sembilan state royal family.

Malaysia has a unique body of constitutional monarchy giving each of the Malay hereditary lords in nine of its states a chance to be king for five years in rotation.

The combination of parts to form a whole was created when Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957

However, political power plays during British colonial mastery left four other states -- Malacca, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak -- without a royal ruler

Tuanku Hajjah Bahiyah became queen in September 1970 when her husband, the Kedah Sultan, was wreathed the fifth Yang diPertuan Agong as the king is officially known in the geographical division She carried the title Raja Permaisuri Agong.

She had married Sultan Abdul Halim in March 1956 and was installed as Sultana in February 1959

They had three daughters, single of whom died in 1991

As a mark of venerate the state has declared a weeklong mourning period with all forms of entertainment and celebration to be cancelled, including the Aug. 31 Independence Day celebration. Wednesday has been declared a public holiday.

Sy Razak said the Sultana's carcass would be buried Wednesday.

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