Translated into literal English, the words mean "He who is made Lord". However, common alternatives are "King", "Supreme Ruler", "Paramount Ruler", or "Supreme Head of State". Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with an elected monarch as head of state. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is one of the few elected monarchs in the world. , Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong (His Conqueror Majesty The Supreme Lord of the Federation). Prior to that, the honorific Ke Bawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia (The Dust Under The Feet Of His Majesty) was also used. The consort of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is called the Raja Permaisuri Agong (Queen Lady Consort). The couple are addressed in English as "His Majesty" and "Her Majesty".
In Malaysia's constitutional monarchy, the role of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is largely ceremonial. The constitution specifies that the executive power of the Federal government is vested in the King and is exercised by him on the advice of the federal Council of Ministers. The latter is headed by the Prime Minister, appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong from among the elected members of Parliament.
The 13th and current Yang di-Pertuan Agong is Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, the Sultan of Terengganu. His reign began on 13 December 2006 after his election by the Conference of Rulers. He was formally enthroned on 26 April 2007.[1]
Election of Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The system of elective monarchy is rare. The few sovereigns chosen via this system include the President elected by the Emirs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The same member state always supplies the monarch, as did the Austrian archducal Habsburg for centuries in the Holy Roman Empire. The second-most influential UAE state appoints the position of Prime Minister. A second example of elected monarchy is the Vatican City, where the Pope is elected by the College of Cardinals. Third is Andorra, one of whose two monarchs is the democratically elected President of France.The position of Yang di-Pertuan Agong is de facto rotated every five years among the nine Rulers of the Malay states (those nine of the thirteen states of Malaysia that have hereditary royal rulers). The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is formally elected by and from among the nine Rulers, who form the Conference of Rulers. The selection of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong initially followed an order based on the seniority (calculated by length of reign) of each Ruler in 1957 at the Federation of Malaya's independence from the United Kingdom (UK). The Conference of Rulers, which has the power to disqualify a candidate, has sometimes varied the original seniority order. Minors are automatically disqualified from office. After each of the nine Rulers of the states had served as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the order of seniority was based on the order of the states whose rulers have been elected the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
In the event of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's death in office, the Conference of Rulers elects a new Yang di-Pertuan Agong as if the previous term had expired. The new King is elected for a full five-year term. After his term expires, the Conference holds a new election, which does not guarantee the incumbent's re-election.
The Conference of Rulers has met regularly since 1895. The membership of the council includes the governors or Yang di-Pertua Negeri. Only royal rulers are allowed to vote and stand for election as Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Qualifications
- Only a royal ruler may be elected.
- Only the royal rulers may vote.
- Rulers are elected in turn.
- The Ruler is a minor.
- The Ruler has notified the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal that he does not wish to be elected.
- 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 YDP. The resolution requires at least five members of the Conference to vote in favour of it
Election proceedings
The election is carried out by a secret ballot. The ballot papers used are not numbered, but marked with the same pen and ink, and are inserted into a ballot box. Only the Rulers participate in the election.A Ruler may appoint another Ruler as his proxy to vote on his behalf if he is unable to attend the Election Meeting.
During the election process, the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal distributes the ballot with only one candidate (the most senior Ruler). Each Ruler is requested to indicate whether the most senior Ruler is suitable or not to be elected as Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The most junior Ruler, who is not listed as nominee for the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is appointed to count the ballot papers together with the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal.
The nominee must have obtained a majority of five votes before the Ruler presiding over the Election Meeting offers him the office of Yang di-Pertuan Agong. If the successful nominee declines the offer or the nominated Ruler fails to secure 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 the Ruler has accepted the offer of the office of Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The Conference declares the Ruler as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to hold office for a term of five years. The ballot papers are destroyed in the presence of the Rulers as soon as the result of the election result is announced.
On taking office as Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the King appoints a regent for the duration of his five-year term for the state which he rules. Usually, but not always, the Regent is a close relative.
See also: Installation of the Malaysian Sovereign for the installation ceremony
Order of seniority of states
After the first cycle of nine Yang di-Pertuan Agong (1957–1994), the order among the eligible, all peninsular, state rulers has followed the order established by that cycle, namely:
- the Yang di-Pertuan Besar (or Yamtuan Besar) of Negeri Sembilan (itself an elective monarchy)
- 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
- the Sultan of Perak
Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong
A Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong) is elected by the same process immediately after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong exercises the functions of the head of state during the king’s absence, or inability to exercise functions owing to illness or infirmity.The Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong does not automatically advance to become the Yang di-Pertuan Agong when a vacancy occurs in the office. The Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong acts as the head of state before the elections of the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
List of Yang di-Pertuan Agong
| No. | Name | State | Reign | Birth | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuanku Abdul Rahman | Negeri Sembilan | 31 August 1957 – 1 April 1960 | 24 August 1895 | 1 April 1960 |
| 2 | Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah | Selangor | 14 April 1960 – 1 September 1960 | 13 May 1898 | 1 September 1960 |
| 3 | Tuanku Syed Putra | Perlis | 21 September 1960 – 20 September 1965 | 25 November 1920 | 16 April 2000 |
| 4 | Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah | Terengganu | 21 September 1965 – 20 September 1970 | 24 January 1907 | 20 September 1979 |
| 5 | Tuanku Abdul Halim | Kedah | 21 September 1970 – 20 September 1975 | 28 November 1927 | |
| 6 | Sultan Yahya Petra | Kelantan | 21 September 1975 – 29 March 1979 | 10 December 1917 | 29 March 1979 |
| 7 | Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Mustain Billah | Pahang | 29 March 1979 – 25 April 1984 | 24 October 1930 | |
| 8 | Sultan Iskandar | Johor | 26 April 1984 – 25 April 1989 | 8 April 1932 | 22 January 2010 |
| 9 | Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah | Perak | 26 April 1989 – 25 April 1994 | 19 April 1928 | |
| 10 | Tuanku Jaafar | Negeri Sembilan | 26 April 1994 – 25 April 1999 | 19 July 1922 | 27 December 2008 |
| 11 | Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz | Selangor | 26 April 1999 – 21 November 2001 | 8 March 1926 | 21 November 2001 |
| 12 | Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin | Perlis | 13 December 2001 – 12 December 2006 | 17 May 1943 | |
| 13 | Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin | Terengganu | 13 December 2006 – present | 22 January 1962 |
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