Married to Sultan Ibrahim since September 22, 1982, Raja Zarith Sofiah was bestowed the title of Permaisuri of Johor in 2015. Together, they have six children. 

In 2019, she made a heartwarming tribute to her Peranakan Chinese maternal grandmother in a social media post about her determination to let her children learn about their mixed heritage. 

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“Growing up, I was used to seeing my grandmother in her embroidered Nyonya kebayas and Batik sarongs. She always had a handkerchief tucked into the silver belt that held up her sarong. When she became older, and her hands started being unsteady at pinning the brooches onto the kebayas, she stopped wearing them and wore buttoned-up kebaya-like tunics and sarongs instead,” she wrote in that Facebook post dated August 19, 2019.

“Sadly, she passed on when my children were still very young. But I would always show them the photographs of her so that they will never ever forget about her. I was determined to let my children know that my grandmother was Chinese, and to accept it in the same way that they know that their own paternal grandmother was English. I hoped that they would learn to be proud of the blood that flows through their veins, and to understand that it does not make them any less Malay.” 

Raja Zarith Sofiah’s philanthropic endeavors are vast. As the Royal Advisor to the Malaysian Red Crescent Society and the Chairperson of the Yayasan Raja Zarith Sofiah Negeri Johor, she actively champions educational programs and initiatives for the underprivileged.

Her efforts have been internationally recognised, including an honorary degree from the University of Nottingham in 2017.

Her Majesty’s commitment to societal welfare is evident through initiatives like the ‘Because We Care’ Chancellor’s Fund and the ‘Bangsa Johor Bahagia’ Programme, aimed at supporting B40 students and communities.

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Recently, she celebrated 500 children through the ‘Bangsa Johor Harmonious Life’ musical theatre project staged at the Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House in January 2024. The colourful performance was organised by Raja Zarith Sofiah in collaboration with Johor Heritage Foundation with the aim of celebrating orphans, tahfiz students and children with cerebral palsy.

Raja Zarith Sofiah, who is also Universiti Teknologi Malaysia chancellor, is a passionate advocate of lifelong learning and cultural understanding. A woman of many talents, she continues to inspire with her compassionate heart, intellectual acumen, and unwavering commitment to her people.

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