UNLIKE most hereditary monarchies around the world, Malaysia’s Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected by the Conference of Rulers for a term of five years in a unique rotation system.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected from among the nine Malay Rulers and after the completion of his term, the King will be succeeded by another monarch based on the same election system.

His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, was sworn in as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, following the 263rd (Special) Meeting of the Conference of Rulers in October last year, and is to reign for a five-year term from Jan 31.

This marks the second occasion of a Johor Ruler being installed as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Sultan Ibrahim’s father, Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail, had reigned as the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, about four decades ago.

Malaysia is one of 43 nations which practise constitutional monarchy, but the rotational system of electing a King is one of its kind in the world.

According to the official website of the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal Office, there are several eligibility criteria for the appointment of a Ruler as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. 

Firstly, a Ruler may be elected if he consents to be elected, and only Malay Rulers are allowed to vote. If a Ruler is unable to attend the Election Meeting, he may appoint another Ruler as a proxy to cast his vote.

Traditionally, selection follows a seniority order based on the length of each Ruler’s reign.

This rule no longer applies after all state Rulers have taken their turn as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The first cycle ended with the appointment of the Sultan of Perak, Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, as the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

A newly restructured list is currently in place, which is based on the seniority of the state whose Ruler has held the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the first to the ninth) in accordance with the Third Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

Schedule Three of the Federal Constitution also provides that a Ruler is not eligible for election as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong if:

> The Ruler is a minor; or

> The Ruler has notified the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal that he does not wish to be elected; or

> The Conference of Rulers by a secret ballot resolves that the Ruler is unsuitable by reason of infirmity of mind or body, or for any other cause, to exercise the functions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The resolution requires at least five members of the Conference to vote in favour of it.There are also several steps prior to the election of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Consent must be reached for the date of the Election Meeting.

If vacancies occur in the offices of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, an election shall not be later than four weeks from the dates when the offices fall vacant.

The Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal shall seek the consent of each Ruler to be nominated for election as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

A Ruler who does not want to be elected must notify the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal in writing, and the state will be moved to the end of the nomination list.

On the election proceedings, when the Conference of Rulers convenes to select the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the four Yang di-Pertua Negeri shall not be present although they are members of the Conference.

The election is carried out by a secret ballot using unnumbered ballot papers marked with the same pen and ink.

The ballot papers are then inserted into the ballot box. As soon as the result of the election is announced, the ballot papers are destroyed (burned/shredded) in the presence of the Rulers.

The Ruler with the shortest reign, who is not listed as a candidate for the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, is appointed to count the ballot papers together with the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal.

Only the Rulers, the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal and the assistant secretary to the Conference of Rulers are involved in the election process.

During the election process, the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal distributes the ballot paper with the name of only one candidate and each Ruler is requested to indicate whether the candidate is suitable to be elected as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The nominee must obtain a majority of five votes before the Ruler presiding over the Election Meeting offers him the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

If the successful nominee declines the offer or the nominated Ruler fails to obtain the required majority votes, the voting process is repeated with the nomination of the second most senior Ruler in the seniority list of Rulers.

The process is completed only after a Ruler has accepted the offer of office of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The Conference then declares the Ruler as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to hold office for a term of five years.

The Malay Rulers who are qualified to select and hold the position of Malaysia’s Head of State are the Yang Di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan, the Sultan of Selangor, the Raja of Perlis, the Sultan of Terengganu, the Sultan of Kedah, the Sultan of Kelantan, the Sultan of Pahang, the Sultan of Johor and the Sultan of Perak.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/20/how-malaysia-elects-the-king