| King of Malaysia | |
|---|---|
| Yang di-Pertuan Agong يڠ دڤرتوان اݢوڠ | |
 Royal coat of arms | |
 Royal Standard | |
 | |
| Style | His Majesty |
| Type | Constitutionalelectivefederal monarchy |
| Status | Head of state |
| Abbreviation | YDPA |
| Residence |
|
| Appointer | Conference of Rulers |
| Term length | Five years, non-renewable immediately |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Malaysia, Article 32 |
| Formation | 31 August 1957; 67 years ago (1957-08-31) |
| First holder | Tuanku Abdul Rahman |
| Deputy | Sultan Nazrin Shah |
| Salary | RM 1,054,560/US$ 254,571 annually[1] |
| Website | istananegara.gov.my |
| This article is part ofa series on the |
| Politics of Malaysia |
|---|
 |
TheKing of Malaysia,[2] officiallyYang di-Pertuan Agong (lit. 'He who is made Lord'[3]Jawi:يڠ دڤرتوان اݢوڠ), is theconstitutional monarch andceremonialhead of state ofMalaysia. The office was established in 1957, when theFederation of Malaya (now Malaysia) gained independence from theUnited Kingdom. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected by theConference of Rulers, comprising the ninerulers of the Malay states, with the officede facto rotated between them, making Malaysia one of the world's fewelective monarchies.
The 17th and current Yang di-Pertuan Agong isIbrahim Iskandar of Johor. He was elected on 26 October 2023, at a special meeting of theConference of Rulers; he took the oath of office and was sworn in at theIstana Negara on 31 January 2024. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong'squeen consort is known as theRaja Permaisuri Agong, currentlyRaja Zarith Sofiah. The royal couple are styled in English as "His Majesty" and "Her Majesty".[4]
TheYang di-Pertuan Agong's role is that of a constitutional monarch. TheFederal Constitution of Malaysia andActs of Parliament made in accordance with it define the extent of his powers as thehead of state. These are divided into two categories: powers exercised on the advice of the Cabinet or of a minister acting under the general authority of the Cabinet, the Conference of Rulers, or some other officer or institution, anddiscretionary powers.
The Constitution vests the executive power of the federal government in the monarch. However, with few exceptions, the king is bound to exercise this power on the advice of the Cabinet or of a minister acting under the Cabinet's general authority. In practice, most of the actual day-to-day work of governing is performed by the federal cabinet.
The discretionary powers of the king as stated by the Constitution and laws pertain chiefly to appointing theprime minister, withholding consent to dissolve Parliament, and calling meetings with theConference of Rulers "concerned solely with the privileges, position, honours and dignities of Their Royal Highnesses". Under theWestminster system, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is expected to appoint a prime minister who will command the confidence of a majority of theDewan Rakyat, the elected lower house ofParliament. Should the prime minister be or become unacceptable, he may be forced out by avote of no confidence, which would require the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to appoint someone else as prime minister or dissolve Parliament for an election. Conventionally, the prime minister is the head of the party with a majority in Parliament. This was theBarisan Nasional coalition from independence in 1957 until 2018, when thePakatan Harapan coalition took office. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong renews the appointment of a prime minister after every general election until the minister decides to step down.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has discretionary powers to choose who he wants as the prime minister if no party has won a majority vote and is not bound by the decision of the outgoing prime minister (Article 40). It, however, does not afford him the right and authority to dismiss the prime minister. He also can dismiss or withhold consent to a request for thedissolution of parliament (Article 40).[5] He may discontinue or dissolve parliament (Article 55) but he can only dissolve parliament at the request of the prime minister (Article 43). He can reject any new laws or amendments to existing laws but if he still withholds permission, it will automatically become law after 30 days from the initial submission to him (Article 66).[6]
The king appoints numerous high-ranking office holders in the federation under the terms of the Constitution and various legislative acts passed by Parliament. The constitution established procedures for such appointments.
The king appoints 44 at-large senators to theDewan Negara, the upper house of Parliament.
The king appoints theYang di-Pertua Negeri (Governors), of the states ofPenang,Malacca,Sabah andSarawak, at his discretion, after considering the advice of the state's Chief Minister/Premier, for four year terms. The governor's term of office can be renewed also at his disrection.
He also appoints the Mayor and City Council ofKuala Lumpur.
In addition, the king is the Head ofIslam in the four states ruled by appointed governors, in the threeFederal Territories (The cities of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya and Labuan Island), as well as in his own home state. In this role, he is advised by the State Islamic Affairs Council in each of the States.
The king appoints the chairman and members of each state council. He also appoints the StateMufti (head) in each of these states. There is a single Islamic Affairs Council with jurisdiction for the three Federal Territories. Its members and chairman are appointed by the king, who also appoints the mufti of the Federal Territories.
In accordance with Article 41 of the Constitution, the king isCommander-in-Chief of theMalaysian Armed Forces. As such, he is the highest-ranking officer in the military chain of command, holding five star rank in its branches.
As theSupreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces, he appoints theChief of Defence Forces, on the advice of theArmed Forces Council. He also appoints the service heads of each of the three branches of the armed forces.
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On 31 August 1957, having rejected the suggested title ofYang di-Pertuan Besar in favour ofYang di-Pertuan Agong, theConference of Rulers elected the first occupant of the federal throne. By seniority, the 84-year-old major generalIbrahim of Johor,Sultan of Johor since 1895, was first in line, but he declined the office due to old age. The next in line,Abu Bakar of Pahang,Sultan of Pahang since 1932, was rejected five times by his fellow electors and did not secure the necessary votes, in part because his various marriages to celebrities and cabaret dancers were seen as unbecoming of royalty – especially with the revelation (according to an oral interview with Tunku Abdul Rahman) of a surprise wedding to aronggeng dancer and their honeymoon toHong Kong.[7]Abdul Rahman of Negeri Sembilan, who had been elected to his state throne (Yamtuan Besar) in 1933, was elected king by eight votes to one.
The first Conference of Rulers after the formation of Malaysia comprised:
The holder of the office and title of King of Malaysia is formally elected to a five-year term by and from the nine rulers of theMalay states (the ninestates of Malaysia that have hereditary royal rulers), who form theConference of Rulers. After a ruler has served his term as king, he may not stand for election until all rulers of the other states have also stood for election to the office and have served their office.
In the event of a vacancy of the office (by death, abdication, or deposition by a majority vote of the rulers), the Conference of Rulers elects a new office holder as king as if the previous term had expired. The new king is elected for a full five-year term by the Conference. After his term expires, it holds a new election, in which the incumbent would not be re-elected to the office.
The positionde facto rotates among the nine state rulers. The selection of the candidate for the kingship initially followed an order based on the seniority (calculated by length of reign) of each ruler in 1957, at theFederation of Malaya's independence from the United Kingdom. The Conference of Rulers, which has the power to disqualify a candidate, has sometimes varied the original seniority order, as noted above. Since then, the states have followed ade facto established rotation order. Minors are automatically disqualified from nomination and holding the office.
The Conference of Rulers has met regularly since 1985. The four governors (Yang di-Pertua Negeri; the heads of states without hereditary rulers) also attend the Conference, but only rulers are allowed to vote and stand for election for the office of king.
The Constitution provides that a ruler is not eligible for election as king if:
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The election is carried out by a secret ballot. The ballot papers used are not numbered, but marked with the same pen and ink, and are inserted into a ballot box. Only the royal rulers of the states participate in the election.
A ruler may appoint another ruler as his proxy to vote on his behalf if he is unable to attend the Election Meeting.
During the election process, the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal distributes the ballot with only one candidate. Each ruler is requested to indicate whether the candidate is suitable or not to be elected King.
The most junior ruler, who is not listed as nominee for the office of king, or the outgoing King is appointed to count the ballot papers together with the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal.
The nominee must have obtained five votes before the ruler presiding over the Election Meeting informs him of his election to the office of King and asks him to accept the title. If the successful nominee declines the offer or the nominated ruler fails to secure the required majority votes for the office, the voting process is repeated with the nomination of the second most senior ruler based on thelist of Seniority of States. Rulers are named and stand for election in turn.
The process is completed only after a ruler has accepted the offer of the office of King by the presiding ruler. The Conference declares the elected ruler to be the new king to hold office for a term of five years. The ballot papers are destroyed in the presence of the rulers as soon as the result of the election is announced.
On taking office as king months after election, he appoints aregent for the duration of his five-year term for the state which he rules. Usually, but not always, the prince regent is a close relative. The regent acts as head of state in that state for every purpose except for the role of head of Islam, which is retained by the king.
Since the first cycle of nine kings (1957–1994), the order among the eligible state rulers has followed the order established by that cycle, namely:
Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan
Sultan of Selangor
Raja of Perlis
Sultan of Terengganu
Sultan of Kedah
Sultan of Kelantan
Sultan of Pahang
Sultan of Johor
Sultan of PerakWith Brunei's decision not to participate in the formation of Malaysia in 1963, only the rulers of the nine royal states of Peninsular Malaysia have been made eligible for election for the throne. Had it been admitted as a royal state theSultan of Brunei would have been granted the right to stand for election as king by theConference of Rulers.
This cycle was originally established based on seniority. However, the current rulers are named (and stand as a candidate) according to the cycle, irrespective of whether they are currently the most senior. Sinceindependence from British colonial rule, this has been the order of elected kings. However, the order is not a precedent and the election to the position and office of the king is at the pleasure of the Conference of Rulers. As an elective monarchy, there is no line of succession to the throne of Malaysia.
Four of the states of Malaysia do not have hereditary rulers. These areMalacca,Penang,Sarawak andSabah.Sarawak previously had three hereditary rulers (theWhite Rajahs) until it became a Crown colony of the British Empire in 1946. These four states, along with Malaysia's threeFederal Territories, do not supply the king.
In 1993,amendments to the Malaysian constitution removed the legal immunity of the king and the state rulers in their personal capacity, due to public outrage over their behaviour.[8] A Special Court (Mahkamah Khas Raja-raja) is established where civil and criminal proceedings can be made against a ruler with the approval of the Attorney General. The right to sue a ruler is limited to Malaysian citizens following a precedent. The Special Court also have jurisdiction where a ruler initiates legal actions against any party.
When a ruler is charged with an offence in the Special Court, he is required to stop exercising the functions of a ruler. In the event of a ruler being sentenced to imprisonment for more than one day, he will be forced to abdicate from his duties as a ruler unless a free pardon is granted.[9]
The king or any ruler cannot pardon himself or his immediate family. In such case, they may request clemency from the Conference of Rulers.
The king cannot be sued in court for his actions while carrying out his official duties. Any claims can be made against the federal government.
The official residence of the King is theIstana Negara (the National Palace) located inJalan Tuanku Abdul Halim in the federal capitalKuala Lumpur. It was completed in 2011. It replaced theold Istana Negara in Jalan Istana which had been turned into the Royal Museum in 2013. Other residences include the royal retreat,Istana Melawati in the federal administrative capitalPutrajaya. The two palaces alternate as a venue of meetings of the Conference of Rulers.
| Styles of The King of Malaysia | |
|---|---|
| Reference style | His Majesty |
| Spoken style | Your Majesty |
| Alternative style | Tuanku |
The King's official full style and title in Malay isKebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Common English terms used in the media and by the general public include "Paramount Ruler" or "Supreme Head of the Federation".[10] The very common term "King" has also been conveniently used by the media[11] and official government portal,[12] although it is not an official or legal title of the federal ruler according to the constitution.
InMalaysian passports before 2010, the title "The Supreme Head of Malaysia" was used in the English version of the passport note. Since the issuance ofICAO-compliant e-passports in 2010, the untranslated title "His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia" has been used.
In formal English correspondence, for many years the King was referred to as "His Majesty The Yang di-Pertuan Agong". In January 2024, this was changed to "His Majesty The King of Malaysia".[13]
Formal address to the King is taken seriously in Malaysia. There are two ways of addressing the King:
The Royal Standard of the king is royal yellow with theCoat of arms of Malaysia in the centre, surrounded by a rice paddy wreath coloured gold – both are traditional royal colours in the peninsula. The same goes for the Royal Standards of the Queen and the Deputy King, but the designs are different. The queen's standard is green in colour, with the coat of arms at the centre surrounded by the paddy wreath. The deputy king's standard is bicolored, yellow at the top and light blue at the bottom, with the coat of arms at the centre (without the paddy) and below that is the office bearer's title in a gold scroll.
TheDeputy King of Malaysia (Malay:Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong) is elected by the same process immediately after the king has been elected by the Conference of Rules. The office is usually (but not always) held by the ruler next in line to rule after the current king. The deputy king exercises the functions of the head of state during the king's absence, or inability to exercise the functions of his office due to illness or infirmity (similar to aregent orviceroy/vizier in other countries).
The deputy king does not automatically succeed as King of Malaysia when a vacancy occurs in that office. The deputy king acts as head of state in the interregnum period before the election of the new king and deputy king by the Conference of Rulers as stated by the Constitution and legislative acts of Parliament.
The current holder of the office of Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong isSultanNazrin Shah of Perak since 13 December 2016, the first to hold it for three straight terms of office.
The first Saturday of June, until 2015, was mandated by law[citation needed] as the official birthday of the king. It is marked with various activities all over the nation and the celebrations in Kuala Lumpur are the highlights of the national festivities, with the celebrations of it from 2013 onwards lasting a whole week between two weekends.
After the installation ofSultan Muhammad V as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 2017, the date for the official birthday was amended twice, first to the last Saturday of July,[14] and then to September 9.[15] This amendment was originally planned to take effect under the reign of Sultan Muhammad V until 2021, before his announcement of abdication. In March 2020, it was announced that Yang di-Pertuan Agong's birthday would be changed from the customary first Saturday of June (6 June) to the following Monday (8 June). From 2021, subsequent iterations of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's birthday throughoutSultan Abdullah's reign will fall on the first Monday of June instead.[16]
The King's Official Birthday is recognized by law as one of the official federal holidays of Malaysia. While it warrants government offices, including schools to be closed and banks and other offices would follow suit, most of it falls on Saturday which is the nation's common weekend day so no additional leave day will be given and premises would already be closed for the weekend. This was before the amendments made it a weekday holiday.
The Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur serves as the venue for the annual Yang di-Pertuan Agong's Birthday Honours List and Address to the Nation ceremony attended by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, members of the Federal Government and Parliament, the state diplomatic corps, honoured guests and the Honours List members for the year, in the order of precedence of state medals. The event honours the year's national achievers and heroes with the awarding of state orders, medals and decorations and their accompanying titles. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong addresses the whole nation via radio and television on this day from the Throne Room of the palace complex. It is followed later by the traditional holiday high tea gathering at the palace grounds in the afternoon.
Trooping the Colour in Malaysia, although inherited from the British, has transformed into a grander and more Malaysian celebration on the first Saturday of June annually live onKuala Lumpur'sIndependence Square, which is both open to invited guests and the general public. As the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong takes the salute on this day together with the commanders of the three services of the Malaysian Armed Forces, theJoint Forces Command, Malaysia and the members of theMalaysian Armed Forces Council, of which he is the chairman, plus military personnel and veterans in attendance. He wears the No.1dress uniform on that day, and as each of the 8 state monarchs are Colonel-in-Chief of selected Malaysian Army regiments as well as of the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Sultan of Selangor serves asCommodore-in-Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy, he wears that regiment's coloured sash as part of his ceremonial uniform (for the Army), or the RMAF blue or RMN white No. 1 dress uniform. The 2013 edition was held on the second Saturday of June for the first time, while the 2016 parade was held on the fourth Friday of July (22 July) for the first time inPutrajaya, the national seat of government.
RTM broadcasts the ceremony live, starting at 8:50am.
In November 2006, the 10th Yang di-Pertuan Agong awarded, theYang di-Pertuan Agong Scholarship for the first time, to ten outstanding students to pursue postgraduate studies at high-ranking world universities. The award of scholarships was held at the Istana Negara in conjunction with the Independence Day celebrations and the Conference of Rulers.[17]
The following rulers have served as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong:[18]
| # | Image | Name | State | Reign | Time in Reign | Birth | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Tuanku Abdul Rahman | Negeri Sembilan | 31 August 1957 – 1 April 1960 | 2 years, 215 days | (1895-08-24)24 August 1895 | 1 April 1960(1960-04-01) (aged 64) |
| 2 |  | Sultan Hisamuddin |  Selangor | 14 April 1960 – 1 September 1960 | 141 days | (1898-05-13)13 May 1898 | 1 September 1960(1960-09-01) (aged 62) |
| 3 |  | Tuanku Putra | Perlis | 21 September 1960 – 20 September 1965 | 5 years, 0 days | (1920-11-25)25 November 1920 | 16 April 2000(2000-04-16) (aged 79) |
| 4 |  | Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin | Terengganu | 21 September 1965 – 20 September 1970 | 5 years, 0 days | (1907-01-24)24 January 1907 | 20 September 1979(1979-09-20) (aged 72) |
| 5 | .jpg) | Sultan Abdul Halim 1st term | Kedah | 21 September 1970 – 20 September 1975 | 5 years, 0 days | (1927-11-28)28 November 1927 | 11 September 2017(2017-09-11) (aged 89) |
| 6 |  | Sultan Yahya Petra | Kelantan | 21 September 1975 – 29 March 1979 | 3 years, 190 days | (1917-12-10)10 December 1917 | 29 March 1979(1979-03-29) (aged 61) |
| 7 |  | Sultan Ahmad Shah | Pahang | 26 April 1979 – 25 April 1984 | 5 years, 0 days | (1930-10-24)24 October 1930 | 22 May 2019(2019-05-22) (aged 88) |
| 8 | .jpg) | Sultan Iskandar | Johor | 26 April 1984 – 25 April 1989 | 5 years, 0 days | (1932-04-08)8 April 1932 | 22 January 2010(2010-01-22) (aged 77) |
| 9 | .JPG) | Sultan Azlan Shah | Perak | 26 April 1989 – 25 April 1994 | 5 years, 0 days | (1928-04-19)19 April 1928 | 28 May 2014(2014-05-28) (aged 86) |
| 10 |  | Tuanku Ja'afar | Negeri Sembilan | 26 April 1994 – 25 April 1999 | 5 years, 0 days | (1922-07-19)19 July 1922 | 27 December 2008(2008-12-27) (aged 86) |
| 11 |  | Sultan Salahuddin | Selangor | 26 April 1999 – 21 November 2001 | 2 years, 210 days | (1926-03-08)8 March 1926 | 21 November 2001(2001-11-21) (aged 75) |
| 12 |  | Tuanku Sirajuddin | Perlis | 13 December 2001 – 12 December 2006 | 5 years, 0 days | (1943-05-17)17 May 1943 (age 81) | |
| 13 |  | Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin | Terengganu | 13 December 2006 – 12 December 2011 | 5 years, 0 days | (1962-01-22)22 January 1962 (age 63) | |
| 14 |  | Sultan Abdul Halim 2nd term | Kedah | 13 December 2011 – 12 December 2016 | 5 years, 0 days | (1927-11-28)28 November 1927 | 11 September 2017(2017-09-11) (aged 89) |
| 15 |  | Sultan Muhammad V | Kelantan | 13 December 2016 – 6 January 2019 | 2 years, 25 days | (1969-10-06)6 October 1969 (age 55) | |
| 16 | .jpg) | Sultan Abdullah | Pahang | 31 January 2019 – 30 January 2024 | 5 years, 0 days | (1959-07-30)30 July 1959 (age 65) | |
| 17 | _(cropped).jpg) | Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar | Johor | 31 January 2024 – Incumbent | 1 year, 69 days | (1958-11-22)22 November 1958 (age 66) |
The following rulers have served as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Deputy King of Malaysia):[19]
| Name | State | In office | Time in office | Birth | Death | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sultan Hisamuddin* | Selangor | 31 August 1957 – 1 April 1960 | 2 years, 215 days | (1898-05-13)13 May 1898 | 1 September 1960(1960-09-01) (aged 62) | |
| 2 | Tuanku Putra* | Perlis | 14 April 1960 – 1 September 1960 | 141 days | (1920-11-25)25 November 1920 | 16 April 2000(2000-04-16) (aged 79) | |
| 3 | Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin* | Terengganu | 21 September 1960 – 20 September 1965 | 5 years, 0 days | (1906-01-24)24 January 1906 | 20 September 1979(1979-09-20) (aged 73) | |
| 4 | Sultan Abdul Halim* | 1st term | Kedah | 21 September 1965 – 20 September 1970 | 5 years, 0 days | (1927-11-28)28 November 1927 | 11 September 2017(2017-09-11) (aged 89) |
| 5 | Sultan Yahya Petra* | Kelantan | 21 September 1970 – 20 September 1975 | 5 years, 0 days | (1917-12-10)10 December 1917 | 29 March 1979(1979-03-29) (aged 61) | |
| 6 | Sultan Ahmad Shah* | Pahang | 21 September 1975 – 29 March 1979 | 3 years, 190 days | (1930-10-24)24 October 1930 | 22 May 2019(2019-05-22) (aged 88) | |
| 7 | Tuanku Ja'afar | 1st term | Negeri Sembilan | 26 April 1979 – 25 April 1984 | 5 years, 0 days | (1922-07-19)19 July 1922 | 27 December 2008(2008-12-27) (aged 86) |
| 8 | Sultan Azlan Shah* | Perak | 26 April 1984 – 25 April 1989 | 5 years, 0 days | (1928-04-19)19 April 1928 | 28 May 2014(2014-05-28) (aged 86) | |
| 9 | Tuanku Ja'afar* | 2nd term | Negeri Sembilan | 26 April 1989 – 25 April 1994 | 5 years, 0 days | (1922-07-19)19 July 1922 | 27 December 2008(2008-12-27) (aged 86) |
| 10 | Sultan Salahuddin* | Selangor | 26 April 1994 – 25 April 1999 | 5 years, 0 days | (1926-03-08)8 March 1926 | 21 November 2001(2001-11-21) (aged 75) | |
| 11 | Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin* | 1st term | Terengganu | 26 April 1999 – 12 December 2001 | 7 years, 231 days | (1962-01-22)22 January 1962 (age 63) | |
| 12 | 2nd term | 13 December 2001 – 12 December 2006 | |||||
| 13 | Sultan Abdul Halim* | 2nd term | Kedah | 13 December 2006 – 12 December 2011 | 5 years, 0 days | (1927-11-28)28 November 1927 | 11 September 2017(2017-09-11) (aged 89) |
| 14 | Sultan Muhammad V* | Kelantan | 13 December 2011 – 12 December 2016 | 5 years, 0 days | (1969-10-06)6 October 1969 (age 55) | ||
| 15 | Sultan Nazrin Shah | 1st term | Perak | 13 December 2016 – 31 January 2019 | 8 years, 118 days | (1956-11-27)27 November 1956 (age 68) | |
| 16 | 2nd term | 31 January 2019 – 30 January 2024 | |||||
| 17 | 3rd term | 31 January 2024 – Present | |||||
* Denotes those who became the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) immediately following the end of their tenure as Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Deputy King).
