Monarchies of Malaysia facts for kids

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

Malaysia has a special system where each of its nine Malay states has its own ruler. This is part of a constitutional monarchy, which means the rulers have important roles but the country is run by an elected government. Malaysia's government works like the British system, with a parliament and a federal structure.

Nine states in Malaysia have traditional Malay rulers. These rulers must be male, Malay, Muslim, and from royal families. Most of these states are hereditary monarchies, meaning the title passes down through the family, usually to the eldest son. These states are Kedah, Kelantan, Johor, Perlis, Pahang, Selangor, and Terengganu.

In Perak, the ruler is chosen from three different branches of the royal family. Negeri Sembilan is unique because its ruler is elected by special chiefs from within the royal family. 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 the position becomes empty, these rulers meet. They form the Conference of Rulers. From among themselves, they elect the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. This person is the federal ruler and head of state for all of Malaysia. Because the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected, Malaysia is also considered an elective monarchy.

Roles of Malaysia's Rulers

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

However, a ruler has special powers. They can choose the Menteri Besar who has the most support in the state assembly. They can also refuse to dissolve the state assembly if the Menteri Besar asks. Over time, the powers of these rulers have changed, but they remain very important figures.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong's Duties

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of all Malaysia. This role includes being the Commander-in-Chief of the military. The Agong also handles international relations, like meeting foreign leaders.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is also the head of Islam in their home state. They are also the head of Islam in the four states without rulers (Penang, Malacca, Sabah, Sarawak) and the Federal Territories. The Agong must let someone else handle their state duties while they are the federal ruler.

Like other rulers, the Agong acts on the advice of the Prime Minister. But the Agong has special powers too. They can choose the Prime Minister who has the most support in Parliament. They can also refuse to dissolve Parliament if the Prime Minister asks. The Agong also appoints the ceremonial governors for the four states without rulers.

The Conference of Rulers

A special part of Malaysia's monarchy is the Conference of Rulers. It 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 electing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong every five years. Only the rulers vote in this election. They also discuss matters related to their own special rights and religious practices. The Conference also approves changes to certain important parts of Malaysia's constitution. These include rules about the rulers' status, special rights for Bumiputra (native Malaysians), the status of the Malay language as the national language, and Islam as the country's official religion.

History of Malaysian Monarchies

Many Malay kingdoms existed on the Malay Peninsula long ago. Early kingdoms were influenced by Hindu culture, like Langkasuka in Kedah. In the 1400s, the Malacca Sultanate became very powerful. It was the first Malay Muslim state on the peninsula to be a strong sea power.

After Malacca fell in 1511, new local rulers appeared. Some came under Siamese influence. Two princes from Malacca's royal family started the states of Johor and Perak. The Sultanate of Johor became very strong. Its large territory led to some areas becoming independent states.

In the 1800s, the British started getting involved in Malay states. They made agreements with some rulers and placed "residents" as advisors. These 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 took control of Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu from Siamese influence. These states got British "advisors." Johor was the last to accept a British advisor in 1914. These five states were called the Unfederated Malay States.

After World War II in 1946, the British combined these states with Penang and Malacca to create the Malayan Union. A British governor led it. Under this Union, the Malay rulers gave up most of their powers to the British, except for religious matters. Malays strongly opposed this. So, in 1948, the Malayan Union became the Federation of Malaya. The rulers got back their symbolic roles as heads of state.

Malaysia's current system of constitutional monarchy began in 1957. That's when the Federation of Malaya became independent. The rulers became the constitutional heads of their states. The state governments, elected by the people, held the real power. The rulers then elected the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the federal head of state. This system continued when Malaysia was formed in 1963.

Monarchies in Each State

Kedah's Royal History

The Kedah Kingdom was founded around 630 CE. The Kedah Sultanate began when its last Hindu king became Muslim in 1136. 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's Royal History

After being under the control of other kingdoms for centuries, Long Muhammad declared himself Sultan of Kelantan in 1800. The British took control of Kelantan in 1909. The state capital is Kota Bharu. The royal city is Kubang Kerian. The main palace for ceremonies is Istana Balai Besar.

Johor's Royal History

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 Temenggong family became the rulers with British support. Maharaja Abu Bakar is known as the founder of "modern Johor." His family rules today. The Sultan of Johor lives in Johor Bahru.

Negeri Sembilan's Unique Monarchy

Negeri Sembilan has a special system. The state is divided into smaller areas called luak, each with a chief called an undang. Four of these main chiefs elect the Yang di-Pertuan Besar (Yam Tuan Besar), who is the state's head.

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.

Chiefs of Negeri Sembilan

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

Tampin's Hereditary Ruler

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

Pahang's Royal History

The current royal family of Pahang comes from the Johor royal family. They used to hold the title of Bendahara. In 1853, the Bendahara, 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's Royal History

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

Perak's Royal History

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's Royal History

The first Sultan of Selangor was Sultan Sallehuddin Shah. He became Sultan in 1742. He was the son of a famous Bugis warrior. Selangor is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It surrounds the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. The Sultan of Selangor lives in Istana Alam Shah in Klang.

Terengganu's Royal History

Terengganu is in northeastern Peninsular Malaysia. It has several islands, like Pulau Perhentian and Pulau Redang. The Sultan of Terengganu lives in Istana Syarqiyyah in Kuala Terengganu.

How Rulers are Chosen

State Succession Rules

In seven Malay states, the next ruler is usually the eldest son of the current ruler. Females cannot become rulers, and descendants through female lines are generally not included.

In Negeri Sembilan, the Yamtuan Besar is chosen by four ruling chiefs. 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 chiefs chose Tunku Muhriz to be the next ruler.

In Perak, the throne rotates among three royal family branches. This system started in the 1800s. There are six positions in the line of succession, chosen by the Sultan and his Royal Council. The eldest son of the reigning Sultan is usually placed at the end of the line. The order can change. For instance, in 1987, Sultan Azlan Shah appointed his eldest son, Raja Nazrin Shah, as the first in line, skipping others.

Electing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected by the nine rulers (if they are not minors). This happens every five years or if the position becomes empty. The Agong serves for a maximum of five years. They cannot be re-elected until all other states have had their turn.

When the position was created in 1957, the order of rulers was based on how long they had reigned. After the first cycle finished in 1994, the order of states from that cycle became the basis for the next cycle.

Table of Malaysian Monarchies

State	Monarch	How Chosen	Current Ruler	Born	Age	Reigns since	Next in Line
Malaysia	Yang di-Pertuan Agong	Elected	Sultan Ibrahim	22 November 1958	66 years, 273 days old	31 January 2024	None; elected by Conference of Rulers every 5 years or if the incumbent dies or steps down.
Johor	Sultan	Eldest son	Sultan Ibrahim	22 November 1958	66 years, 273 days old	23 January 2010	Tunku Ismail Idris, the Tunku Mahkota (eldest son)
Kedah	Sultan	Eldest son	Sultan Sallehuddin	30 April 1942	83 years, 114 days old	11 September 2017	Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah, the Raja Muda (eldest son)
Kelantan	Sultan	Eldest son	Sultan Muhammad V	6 October 1969	55 years, 320 days old	13 September 2010	Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra, the Tengku Mahkota (youngest brother)
Negeri Sembilan	Yang di-Pertuan Besar	Elected	Tuanku Muhriz	14 January 1948	77 years, 220 days old	29 December 2008	None; elected by the four ruling chieftains (Undangs) from male descendants of previous Yamtuan Besars.
Pahang	Sultan	Eldest son	Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah	30 July 1959	66 years, 23 days old	11 January 2019	Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, the Tengku Mahkota (eldest son)
Perak	Sultan	Rotates among branches	Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah	27 November 1956	68 years, 268 days old	29 May 2014	Raja Jaafar, the Raja Muda (eldest uncle)
Perlis	Raja	Eldest son	Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin	17 May 1943	82 years, 97 days old	17 April 2000	Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra, the Raja Muda (eldest son)
Selangor	Sultan	Eldest son	Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah	24 December 1945	79 years, 241 days old	21 November 2001	Tengku Amir Shah, the Raja Muda (eldest son)
Terengganu	Sultan	Eldest son	Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin	22 January 1962	63 years, 212 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 can only use a title if the ruler grants it to her. Different states have different titles for consorts. Sometimes, the title can even change depending on who the ruler is.

Common titles for consorts include Che Puan/Cik Puan, Raja Perempuan/Raja Permaisuri, Tengku Ampuan/Tengku Permaisuri, Sultanah, or Permaisuri.

List of Royal 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 of Malaysia

Royal capitals are the towns or cities where the rulers' official homes are located. In some states, the royal capital is different from the 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