Rulers conclude meeting, Sultan Nazrin to serve as acting Agong

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 7): The Conference of Rulers have concluded their meeting today after the sudden abdication of Sultan Muhammad V as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong yesterday.

According to a report by the New Straits Times, the rulers met to discuss the date for the choosing of the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Meanwhile, Perak’s Sultan Nazrin Shah, who is the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, will serve as acting Agong.

Sultan Nazrin was also the acting Agong when Sultan Muhammad V was on a two-month leave recently.

The same report by the daily also stated that only six of the nine rulers attended the meeting. They were Perlis ruler Tuanku Syed Sirajudin Syed Putra Jamalullail; Terengganu ruler Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin; Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir; Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar; Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzudin Shah; and Sultan of Kedah Sultan Sallehuddin Shah.

Under Malaysia’s system of constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, the selection of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is done according to a rotation system every five years, whereby the  Malay rulers elect the next King and Deputy King .

Sultan Muhammad V was installed as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on April 24, 2017, after taking his oath of office on Dec 13, 2016.

He was elected as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the 243rd Meeting (Special) of the Conference of Rulers in October 2016, who also voted for the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah to be the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Sultan Muhammad V succeeded the late Sultan of Kedah Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah whose term as the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong ended on Dec 12, 2016.