Lighting
Malaysia has a new king for the next five years
In Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim, a billionaire who rules the state of Johor, was sworn in on Wednesday (January 31) as the country's new king, under a unique rotating monarchy system. The Southeast Asian country is a parliamentary democracy, with the monarch serving as head of state and playing a largely ceremonial role. But the monarchy has become more influential in recent years due to prolonged political instability during which the king has exercised rarely used discretionary powers.
Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, new king of Malaysia, during the swearing-in ceremony on January 31, 2024 in Kuala Lumpur. © Mohd Rasfan / AP
By: RFI Follow
Advertisement
Read more
Since
Malaysia
gained independence from Britain in 1957, nine leaders of Malaysian states have succeeded each other as king for five-year terms under the only system of its kind in the world.
The rotating monarchy of Malaysia is made up of the hereditary rulers of nine Malaysian states. The positions of king, known as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and viceroy are distributed among the nine states, each serving a five-year term.
Malaysia has thirteen states, but only nine of them have royal families, some of which date back to centuries-old Malay kingdoms that were independent states before being consolidated by the British.
An outspoken king
Sultan Ibrahim, one of the country's richest men, of Malaysian and British origin, belongs to the powerful royal family of Johor, whose leader commands a small private army.
He owns a vast business empire ranging from real estate, telecommunications, to power plants and palm oil. Known for his large collection of luxury cars and motorcycles, Bloomberg estimates that Sultan Ibrahim and his family are worth at least $5.7 billion. This fortune includes land in Singapore.
In an interview with Singapore's
Straits Times
last December, he said he
did not want to become a "puppet king"
.
The outspoken monarch has close ties to Anwar Ibrahim - the prime minister - and his rule could support Anwar's unity government, which faces strong Islamic opposition. He has also been outspoken on Malaysian politics and corruption.
Sultan Ibrahim is considered a religious moderate. In 2017, he ordered the owner of a laundromat to apologize for allegedly discriminating against non-Muslims.
During the swearing-in of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar on January 31, 2024 in Kuala Lumpur. © Mohd Rasfan / AP
What are (really) the powers of the king?
According to the Constitution, the king “
has precedence over all persons of the Federation
” and his powers are more extensive than those of the sultan. In particular, he has the discretionary power to appoint a Prime Minister and to reject requests for the dissolution of Parliament.
The king also approves laws and appoints ministers and their deputies, court judges and other key roles at the national level, on the advice of the prime minister.
Once crowned, the king must relinquish the powers associated with his own state, but he retains his religious authority. The king is not allowed to actively engage in any commercial enterprise.
The king also has the power to pardon. In 2018, Sultan Muhammad V, one of Ibrahim's predecessors, pardoned
Anwar Ibrahim
, who had served a prison sentence for sodomy and is now Prime Minister of Malaysia.
The king can also resign or be removed from office by the Conference of Sovereigns before the end of his five-year term. The country has never had a woman as head of state, the Constitution expressly designating the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by the masculine pronoun. Changing the law would require the support of a supermajority in Parliament.
Also read: A fiftieth anniversary in search of unity
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your inbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
Share :
Continue reading on the same themes:
Malaysia
our selection