Monarchies of Malaysia facts for kids

This special seal shows the symbols of Malaysia's nine royal states. It says "Great Seal of the Malay Rulers" in Jawi script. You can see it in the Royal Museum in Kuala Lumpur. The symbols are for Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, and Perlis.

Malaysia is a special country because it has kings and queens, just like in a fairy tale! But here, they are called "rulers." These rulers lead nine of Malaysia's states. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy. This means the rulers are the heads of state, but the government is run by elected officials. It's like a team effort between tradition and modern government.

Nine of Malaysia's states have traditional Malay rulers. These states are often called the Malay states. To become a ruler, you must be a male Malay Muslim from a royal family. Seven states pass their throne down from father to eldest son. These are Kedah, Kelantan, Johor, Perlis, Pahang, Selangor, and Terengganu. In Perak, the throne moves between three different royal family branches. In Negeri Sembilan, the ruler is chosen by other important leaders.

Most rulers are called Sultan. But the ruler of Perlis is called the Raja. And the ruler of Negeri Sembilan is known as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

Every five years, or if a ruler steps down, the rulers meet. This meeting is called the Conference of Rulers. They choose one of themselves to be the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. This person is the federal head of state for all of Malaysia. Because the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is chosen by the rulers, Malaysia is also an elective monarchy as a whole country.

What Do the Rulers Do?

Each of the nine rulers is the head of their own state. They are also the head of the Islam religion in their state. Like other constitutional monarchs, the rulers do not directly run the government. Instead, they follow the advice of their state's leader, called the Menteri Besar.

However, a ruler has some special powers. They can choose the Menteri Besar who has the most support in the state assembly. They can also say no if the Menteri Besar asks to dissolve the state assembly. Over time, the powers of the rulers have changed, but they still play a very important role.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong's Role

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of the entire country. They have many important symbolic jobs. For example, they are the leader of the Malaysian Armed Forces. They also meet with leaders from other countries and represent Malaysia on special trips.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of Islam in their own state. They are also the head of Islam in the four states that do not have their own rulers. These states are Penang, Malacca, Sabah, and Sarawak. They also lead Islam in the Federal Territories.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong usually lets someone else handle their state duties while they are the national leader. But they always remain the head of Islam for their state. Like other rulers, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong acts on the advice of the Prime Minister. They also have special powers to choose the Prime Minister who has the most support in Parliament. They can also refuse to dissolve Parliament if asked. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong also appoints governors for the four states without rulers.

The Conference of Rulers

A special part of Malaysia's monarchy is the Conference of Rulers. This group includes the nine rulers and the four governors from states without rulers. They meet three times a year to talk about state and national issues.

Their most important job is to choose the Yang di-Pertuan Agong every five years. Only the rulers vote in this election. They also discuss things like the rulers' special rights and religious events. The Conference also helps approve changes to certain important parts of Malaysia's constitution. This includes things about the rulers' status, special rights for the Bumiputra (native people), the Malay language as the national language, and Islam as the country's religion.

A Look at History

Many Malay kingdoms existed on the Malay Peninsula long ago. The Malacca Sultanate was a very powerful kingdom in the 1400s. It was the first Malay Muslim state on the peninsula that was also a strong sea power. After Malacca fell in 1511, new local rulers appeared. Some areas became independent states.

In the 1800s, the British started to get involved in the Malay states. They made agreements with some rulers and placed "residents" as advisors. These British residents soon became the real rulers, except for religious matters and Malay customs. In 1895, four states (Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, and Selangor) joined to form the Federated Malay States. The British also gained influence over Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu. These were called the Unfederated Malay States. Johor was the last state to accept a British advisor in 1914.

After World War II in 1946, the British created the Malayan Union. This group included the Federated and Unfederated Malay States, plus Penang and Malacca. Under this Union, the Malay rulers gave up most of their powers to the British. But many Malays were against this. So, in 1948, the Malayan Union changed to the Federation of Malaya. The rulers got their symbolic roles back as heads of state.

Malaysia's current system of constitutional monarchy started in 1957. That's when the Federation of Malaya became independent. The rulers became the heads of their states, but elected governments ran the states. The rulers also chose a federal head of state, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, with an elected federal government. This system continued when Malaysia was formed in 1963.

Meet the Rulers of Each State

Kedah

The Kedah Sultanate began in 1136 when its last Hindu king became Muslim. He took the name Sultan Mudzafar Shah I. His family still rules Kedah today. The Sultan of Kedah lives in Anak Bukit, near Alor Setar.

Kelantan

After being under the rule of other kingdoms for many years, Long Muhammad declared himself Sultan of Kelantan in 1800. The British took control of Kelantan in 1909. The state capital is Kota Bharu. The Sultan's main palace is Istana Balai Besar.

Johor

The early Sultans of Johor saw themselves as continuing the Malacca Sultanate. The first Sultan, Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II, was the son of Malacca's last Sultan. In the 1800s, the British helped the Temenggong family become the rulers. Its first Sultan, Maharaja Abu Bakar, is known for building "modern Johor." His family still rules today. The Sultan of Johor lives in the capital, Johor Bahru.

Negeri Sembilan

Negeri Sembilan has a unique system. The state is divided into smaller areas called luak. Each luak has a leader called an undang. Four of these main leaders choose the Yang di-Pertuan Besar (Yam Tuan Besar), who is the head of the state.

The first Yam Tuan Besar was Raja Melewar. He united the nine small states of Negeri Sembilan in the 1700s. The Yam Tuan Besar lives in Seri Menanti.

Chieftains / Undang

Chieftains are chosen from noble families in each luak. They follow a special system where inheritance is through the mother's side of the family. This is part of the state's Adat perpatih customs.

Tampin

The Tampin district also has its own hereditary ruler, called the Tunku Besar. The Tunku Besars of Tampin are descendants of Sharif Sha'aban Syed Ibrahim al-Qadri.

Pahang

The royal family of Pahang today comes from a branch of the Johor royal family. In 1853, Tun Muhammad Tahir declared Pahang independent from Johor. Later, his brother Ahmad became Sultan in 1884. The Sultan of Pahang lives in Istana Abdulaziz in Kuantan.

Perlis

Syed Hussein Jamalullail became the Raja of Perlis with the help of the Siamese. His family, the Jamalullails, are of Arab descent and still rule Perlis. The Raja of Perlis lives in Arau.

Perak

The Perak Sultanate was founded by the son of Malacca's last Sultan, Sultan Muzaffar Shah. His family continues to rule today. The Sultan of Perak lives in Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar.

Selangor

The first Sultan of Selangor was HRH Sultan Sallehuddin Shah. He became Sultan in November 1742. He was the son of a famous Bugis warrior, Prince Daeng Chelak. The Sultan of Selangor lives in Istana Alam Shah in Klang.

Terengganu

The Sultan of Terengganu lives in Istana Syarqiyyah in Kuala Terengganu.

How Rulers Are Chosen

In seven of the Malay states, the next ruler is usually the eldest son of the current ruler. No female can become a ruler, and female family members are generally not in line for the throne.

In Negeri Sembilan, the Yamtuan Besar is chosen by four ruling chieftains. However, the choice always stays within the state's royal family. For example, in 1967, Tunku Muhriz was not chosen because he was too young. His uncle, Tuanku Jaafar, became the ruler instead. But in 2008, after Tuanku Jaafar passed away, the chieftains chose Tunku Muhriz to be the next ruler.

In Perak, the throne moves between three different royal family branches. There are six positions in the line of succession. These are chosen by the reigning Sultan with advice from his Royal Council. Usually, the eldest son of the Sultan is placed at the end of the line. When a spot opens up, people move up the line. However, the Sultan and his Royal Council can change this order. For instance, in 1987, Sultan Azlan Shah chose his eldest son, Raja Nazrin Shah, to be first in line, even though it bypassed others.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is chosen by the nine rulers (unless a ruler is too young). This happens every five years, or if the current Agong dies, resigns, or is removed. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong serves for a maximum of five years. They cannot be chosen again until all other states have had their turn. When the position was first created in 1957, the order was based on how long each ruler had been on their state throne. After the first round of rotations finished in 1994, that order became the basis for the next rounds.

Table of Monarchies

State	Monarch	Succession	Incumbent	Born	Age	Reigns since	Designated heir
Malaysia	Yang di-Pertuan Agong	elective monarchy	Sultan Ibrahim	22 November 1958	66 years, 228 days old	31 January 2024	None; elected by Conference of Rulers every 5 years or if the incumbent dies or steps down.
Johor	Sultan	agnatic primogeniture	Sultan Ibrahim	22 November 1958	66 years, 228 days old	23 January 2010	Tunku Ismail Idris, the Tunku Mahkota (eldest son)
Kedah	Sultan	agnatic primogeniture	Sultan Sallehuddin	30 April 1942	83 years, 69 days old	11 September 2017	Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah, the Raja Muda (eldest son)
Kelantan	Sultan	agnatic primogeniture	Sultan Muhammad V	6 October 1969	55 years, 275 days old	13 September 2010	Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra, the Tengku Mahkota (youngest brother)
Negeri Sembilan	Yang di-Pertuan Besar	elective monarchy	Tuanku Muhriz	14 January 1948	77 years, 175 days old	29 December 2008	None; elected by the four ruling chieftains (Undangs) from male descendants of previous Yamtuan Besars.
Pahang	Sultan	agnatic primogeniture	Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah	30 July 1959	65 years, 343 days old	11 January 2019	Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, the Tengku Mahkota (eldest son)
Perak	Sultan	agnatic seniority	Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah	27 November 1956	68 years, 223 days old	29 May 2014	Raja Jaafar, the Raja Muda (eldest uncle)
Perlis	Raja	agnatic primogeniture	Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin	17 May 1943	82 years, 52 days old	17 April 2000	Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra, the Raja Muda (eldest son)
Selangor	Sultan	agnatic primogeniture	Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah	24 December 1945	79 years, 196 days old	21 November 2001	Tengku Amir Shah, the Raja Muda (eldest son)
Terengganu	Sultan	agnatic primogeniture	Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin	22 January 1962	63 years, 167 days old	15 May 1998	Tengku Muhammad Ismail, the Yang di-Pertuan Muda (eldest son)

Royal Consorts

The wife of a ruler is called a consort. Her title is not always the same and is not given automatically. A consort only gets a title if the ruler grants it or during a special ceremony. Different states have different titles for consorts. Sometimes, the title can even change depending on who the ruler is. For example, the wife of Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin was called the Tengku Ampuan Besar. But the wife of his grandson, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, is called the Sultanah.

Consort titles can include Che Puan/Cik Puan, Raja Perempuan/Raja Permaisuri, Tengku Ampuan/Tengku Permaisuri, Sultanah, or Permaisuri.

List of Consorts

State	Monarch	Consort	Title	Tenure
Malaysia	Yang di-Pertuan Agong	Raja Zarith Sofiah	Raja Permaisuri Agong	31 January 2024 – present
Johor	Sultan	Raja Zarith Sofiah	Permaisuri	23 January 2010 – present
Kedah	Sultan	Sultanah Maliha	Sultanah	12 September 2017 – present
Kelantan	Sultan	Sultanah Nur Diana Petra	Sultanah	2 August 2022 – present
Negeri Sembilan	Yamtuan Besar	Tuanku Aishah Rohani	Tunku Ampuan Besar	29 December 2008 – present
Pahang	Sultan	Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah	Tengku Ampuan	22 January 2019 – present
Perak	Sultan	Tuanku Zara Salim	Raja Permaisuri	20 June 2014 – present
Perlis	Raja	Tuanku Tengku Fauziah	Raja Perempuan	14 July 2000 – present
Selangor	Sultan	Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin	Tengku Permaisuri	8 Sept 2016–present
Terengganu	Sultan	Permaisuri Nur Zahirah	Permaisuri	19 July 1998 – 5 June 2006
			Sultanah	5 June 2006 – present

Royal Capitals

The royal capitals are the cities where the rulers' official homes are located. Sometimes, the royal capital is different from the state's main administrative capital. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong lives in Kuala Lumpur.

States	Royal capital	State capital	Ruler title
Johor	Muar	Johor Bahru	Sultan
Kedah	Alor Setar (Anak Bukit)	Alor Setar	Sultan
Kelantan	Kota Bharu (Kubang Kerian)	Kota Bharu	Sultan
Negeri Sembilan	Seri Menanti	Seremban	Yamtuan Besar (Yang di-Pertuan Besar)
Pahang	Pekan	Kuantan	Sultan
Perak	Kuala Kangsar	Ipoh	Sultan
Perlis	Arau	Kangar	Raja
Selangor	Klang	Shah Alam	Sultan
Terengganu	Kuala Terengganu	Kuala Terengganu	Sultan

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