The Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin was named as the 16th King of Malaysia on 24 Jan 2019.
The 59 year old Sultan was elected to serve a five year term by eight other Malay Sultans in the country’s Conference of Rulers at the Istana Negara.
The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, will be his deputy, the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal Syed Danial Syed Ahmad.
This comes after Sultan Muhammad V unexpectedly stepped down from his post on 06 Jan 2019 only after he ascended in December 2016, and three years before his reign was due to conclude.
Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, with a unique arrangement where the throne changes hands every five years, elected among the nine hereditary sultans of the country’s royal Malay houses on a rotational basis.
Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin was recently proclaimed as the sixth Sultan of Pahang on 15 Jan 2019, to take over from his 88 year old father Sultan Ahmad Shah, who is ill.
Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin and his deputy will be sworn in on 31 Jan 2019 to begin the five year term.
