By Ahmad Abd Hamid
In Teluk Intan, Perak, stands a house that is more than timber and paint. Known simply as the Yellow House, it is a quiet monument to love — a gift from the late Sultan of Perak, Sultan Yussuff Izzuddin Shah Sultan Abdul Jalil, to his wife, Noorizan Mohd Noor.
Built in the 1940s along Jalan Syed Abu Bakar, the wooden house glows in its royal yellow, echoing the traditional architecture of Malaya at the time. Though empty today, its walls still whisper stories of affection, grandeur, and history.
Teluk Intan, once called Teluk Anson, was no ordinary town. The town served as the official residence of the Raja Muda of Perak, with a palace erected in 1924. That palace saw generations of heirs, from Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Muda Musa — later the 31st Sultan — to Raja Ahmad Siffuddin Sultan Iskandar, the last to reside there before the seat shifted to Ipoh in 1988.
Sultan Yussuff, the 32nd Sultan of Perak, was born in 1890 and ascended the throne in 1948. He ruled for 15 years until his passing in 1963, leaving behind a legacy carried on by his son, Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, and grandson, the current ruler, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.
Noorizan Mohd Noor, however, adds a different dimension to this tale. To many, she was better known as Noorizan, the film star. Noorizan had acted in many films, including “Laksamana Do Re Mi”, directed by renowned actor and director Tan Sri P. Ramlee.
Born in 1927, she married Sultan Yussuff in 1954 at the age of 27. Bestowed with the title Yang Teramat Mulia Permaisuri Perak, the Yellow House was his gift to her — a gesture of devotion. Yet their marriage lasted only a year, ending in 1955.
Noorizan passed away in 1992 at the age of 65, but her story endures. Alongside the Yellow House, Sultan Yussuff had also given her a blue ring, now preserved in the National Archives.
Ownership of the Yellow House may have changed, but it remains a symbol of love, memory, and history. Perhaps one day it will be restored as a museum, allowing future generations to step inside and feel the echoes of a royal romance that once defined Teluk Intan.
WE