Malaysia’s Unique Monarchy: Sultan Ibrahim appointed as the new king, will replace Al-Sultan Abdullah

The Custodian of the Seals of the Rulers said in a statement on Friday that Sultan Ibrahim will take over from current King Al-Sultan Abdullah on January 31, 2024. Malaysia’s royal families have elected Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, the powerful and outspoken Sultan of the southern state of Johor, as the country’s next king. The king plays a largely ceremonial role in Malaysia, but the monarchy has become more influential in recent years due to prolonged political instability, which has led the outgoing king to rarely use discretionary powers.

Malaysia has a unique system in which the heads of its nine royal families become kings on a rotating basis for a five-year term. The Southeast Asian country is a parliamentary democracy, with the king serving as head of state. Sultan Ibrahim will take over from current King Al-Sultan Abdullah on Jan. 31, 2024, the custodian of the monarchs’ seal said in a statement on Friday. Unlike other traditional Malaysian rulers, Sultan Ibrahim has been outspoken about politics and has said that he has a good relationship with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The Sultan, known for a large collection of luxury cars and motorcycles, has extensive business interests ranging from real estate to mining. The King al-Sultan played an unusually active role in Malaysian politics, choosing the country’s last three prime ministers. The federal constitution grants the monarch only a few discretionary powers, with the monarch acting largely on the advice of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. It also allows the king to appoint a Prime Minister whom he believes has a parliamentary majority, a power that has never been used until 2020, as the Prime Minister is usually elected through election. Is selected from.