By Farah R
Edited by Nur Qistina
As Malaysia is a country that is accustomed to a democratic and constitutional monarchy, a rotation of Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDP Agong) is a once-in-a-five-year important event celebrated here. This year, Malaysia welcomed the 17th YDP Agong, namely His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar. His Majesty is also the fifth sultan of modern Johor and this is the second time Johor Sultan has been elected as YDP Agong according to the rotational system that has been practised ever since 1957.
As elected in October 2023 by the Malay Rulers, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim has been named as the 17th YDP Agong, and his installation ceremony will be another fundamental celebration of Malaysia. On Friday of July 19th, a graceful Yasin recitation and ‘Doa Selamat’ was conducted after the congregational Friday prayer at the National Mosque (Masjid Negara) followed by a special sermon titled ‘Raja Ditaati, Negara Dihormati’. This has also marked the beginning of His Majesty’s event as the 17th YDP Agong.
Photo Courtesy of BERNAMA News
The next day, July 20th, an official installation ceremony, particularly conducted for the 17th YDP Agong, took place at Istana Negara. The event began on a historical Saturday morning. His Majesty and Her Majesty were expected to reach the Throne Room (Balairung Seri) at around 10 a.m., and the ceremony was broadcast live via nationwide media. The ceremony was attended by approximately 700 guests, including the Malay rulers across the nation, the Malay governors and ministers, including the Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, as well as other foreign leaders and dignitaries.
As the YDP Agong Installation Ceremony has become one of the fundamental events in Malaysia’s governing system, let’s dive into some fun facts about the constitutional monarchy system that our country has exercised ever since 1957.
1) Sultan as the Head of the Country
Common misconceptions about our nation’s leader often arise from the autonomy of the Prime Minister and YDP Agong. To provide clarity on this, the Sultan is the one who has the highest autonomy, particularly in the Malay states. Although the Prime Minister held a significant role in Malaysia’s governance system, the king still ranked the highest in the hierarchy. This is due to the dual governing systems of democratic and constitutional monarchy. The YDP Agong serves as a unity figure in Malaysia as the king represents Malaysians who consist of multiracial, ethnic, religious and political ideologies. To put it in simple words, YDP Agong represents and acts as the head of the country as a whole, without siding with any parties. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister, on the other hand, is the head of government and is responsible for coordinating Malaysia’s democratic governing systems. Thus, these two vital entities are different in terms of their responsibilities and roles.
Photo Courtesy of BERNAMA News
2) Rotational monarchy system
As mentioned prior in the article, Malaysia’s king is determined via a rotational monarchy system whereby a king's service period is five years. So, every five years, the king will be elected from the nine Sultanates of Malaysia. These Sultanates include the Sultans from Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Johor, Perlis, Pahang, and Perak. These nine states are collectively known as the Malay states. What makes this a lot more interesting is that Malaysia is the only country that practises this kind of system. Therefore, this has proven that Malaysia’s governance system is unique as it blends the traditional governing system with the modern constitutional framework.
Photo Courtesy of BERNAMA News
3) Absolute Emergency Declaration Power
The king has the authority to declare any state of emergency that occurs in the country with the advice of the Prime Minister. This great power given to the king is significant in ensuring the country’s stability and security. A recent example that can be illustrated is during the time of COVID-19, when our country underwent a mass lockdown due to the deadly pandemic. In January 2021, the previous Agong declared a state of emergency as decided by the Prime Minister at that time. This precautionary step was taken as the government aimed to control the spread of the disease as well as public health. Although the king is given this pivotal autonomy, it is equally important to come up with efficient management of the country once the announcement of an emergency state is made in the country.
This year, we are fortunate enough to witness the 17th Malaysia’s King Instalment Ceremony. His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim expressed his hope for the government to continuously work towards alleviating the people’s burdens. Sultan Ibrahim, with a determined vision to lead the country with fairness, faith, and honesty to all Malaysians, pledged his duties during today’s meaningful ceremony. We hope that under the newly appointed king, Malaysia will always be blessed and continue to prosper in harmony.
Photo Courtesy of BERNAMA News
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