Malaysia To Witness Another Monarch Rotation In 48 Hours
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will once again witness a very significant moment in the history of constitutional monarchy in this country with two important ceremonies taking place within the next 48 hours, highlighting the uniqueness of the rotation system of Malay monarchs which has been practised since 1957.
On Tuesday, the 16th King of Malaysia, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah will complete his five-year reign as Head of State starting on Jan 31, 2019.
The following day, the reins of government will mark a new era under the Sultan of Johor (Sultan of the Malaysian state of Johor), Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar who will ascend to the federal throne as the 17th King of Malaysia.
According to the first cycle of the rotating list since 1957, Negri Sembilan (a state on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia) was at the top of the election list, followed by Selangor, Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Johor and Perak (monarch states in Malaysia).
In 1994, this rotation began its second cycle when the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, the late Tuanku Ja'afar Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman was installed as the 10th King of Malaysia.
Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah (the Queen) are scheduled to return to their home state of Pahang and they will depart from Istana Negara at 8 am (Malaysian time) on Tuesday to Parliament Square for the ceremonial send-off.
In the meantime, Sultan Ibrahim, who has been elected as the 17th King of Malaysia through the Special 263rd Meeting of the Conference of Rulers on Oct 27, 2023, is scheduled to take the oath of office and sign the instrument of office as the 17th King of Malaysia during the Special 264th Meeting of the Conference of Rulers at Balairung Seri, Istana Negara (National Palace).
The ceremony will also witness the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah take the oath of office as Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Deputy King of Malaysia) for five years.
Sultan Ibrahim and Permaisuri (Queen) of Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah are scheduled to depart from Istana Bukit Serene, Johor at 7 am to the Royal Hangar of Senai International Airport, Johor Bahru (Capital city in the state of Johor) before departing to Istana Negara an hour later.
The royal couple is expected to arrive at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base (RMAF), Subang at about 10.30 am before leaving for Istana Negara.
Sultan Ibrahim who was born on Nov 22, 1958, at Sultan Aminah Hospital, Johor Bahru, was proclaimed as the Sultan of Johor on Jan 23, 2010, after the passing of the late Sultan Iskandar and crowned on March 23, 2015.
-- BERNAMA
