Unique rotating monarchy

The Star

2 days ago

IN a world where monarchs are typically born into power, Malaysia stands out with a unique rotation system where its King is elected from among nine Malay Rulers.
Malaysia is one of over 40 nations with a constitutional monarchy, but it is the only one in the world that practises a five-year rotation system.
Under this unique system, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected from among nine Malay Rulers under the Conference of Rulers through a detailed election process that takes place every five years.
Only nine Malay Rulers are eligible to take part in the process, namely the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan, Sultan of Selangor, Raja of Perlis, Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan of Kedah, Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan of Pahang, Sultan of Johor and Sultan of Perak.
Several other eligibility criteria that must be met for a Ruler to be appointed as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong are also out­lined on the official website of the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal Office.
The first is that the Ruler must consent to be elected, and only the nine Malay Rulers may vote.
If a Ruler is unable to attend the Election Meeting, he may appoint another Ruler as a proxy to vote on his behalf.
Previously, the selection of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was based on seniority, whereby the Ruler who had reigned the longest was considered the most senior.
However, that rule no longer applies since all nine Malay Rulers have taken their turns as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Sultan of Perak Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, who was the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, was the last Ruler to be selected under the original rotation system.
After that, the Rulers collectively agreed on a rotation list, which is still used today, based on the order of states whose Rulers had previously served as Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Besides that, Schedule Three of the Federal Constitution and the Regulation of the Conference of Rulers states that a Ruler is not eligible for election if he is a minor or has formally informed the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal that he does not wish to be elected.
It adds that a Ruler is also disqualified if the Conference of Rulers, through a secret ballot, determines that he is unfit due to infirmity of mind or body, or for any other reason that would prevent him from fulfilling the role.
However, such a resolution must be supported by at least five members of the Conference of Rulers.
Schedule Three of the Federal Constitution also provides detailed steps to be taken before the election of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, including for the nine Rulers to agree on the date of the Election Meeting.
If both the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong positions become vacant, the election must be held within four weeks from the date the vacancies occur.
The Keeper of the Rulers' Seal will then seek the consent of each Ruler to be nominated as either the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Any Ruler who does not wish to be nominated must submit a written notice to the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal, and the state will be moved to the end of the nomination list.
When the Conference of Rulers convenes to vote, only the Malay Rulers, the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal and the assistant secretary to the Conference of Rulers are involved in the process.
The four Yang di-Pertua Negeri do not attend despite being members of the Conference of Rulers.
The election is conducted through a secret ballot using unnumbered papers, all marked with the same pen and ink.
The completed ballots are placed into a ballot box and once the result is announced, the papers are destroyed (either burned or shredded) in the presence of the Rulers.
The Ruler with the shortest reign, who is not nominated as a candidate for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, is appointed to assist the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal in counting the ballots.
During the election, each Ruler receives a ballot bearing the name of one candidate and is asked to indicate whether that candidate is suitable to serve as Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The nominee must secure at least five votes before being offered the post by the presiding Ruler. If the nominee declines or fails to secure enough votes, the process continues with the next most senior Ruler on the list.
The election concludes only after a nominee accepts the appointment.
The Conference of Rulers then formally declares the Ruler as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, who will serve for a five-year term.
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the current King of Malaysia, was sworn in as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Jan 31, 2024, following the 263rd (Special) Meeting of the Conference of Rulers in October 2023. His Majesty's installation ceremony took place on July 20, 2024.
This marks the second time a Johor Ruler has been 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 from 1984 to 1989.