KUCHING: Kelantan ruler Sultan Muhammad V’s decision to step down as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong with immediate effect has paved the way for the selection of a new ruler.
The Conference of Rulers is expected to convene a meeting today on the matter.
Newsportal Malaysiakini quoting sources, reported that Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah, who is the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, will be the acting king.
Lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali confirmed this, citing Articles 32 and 33, and the Third Schedule of the Federal Constitution.
“The constitution allows the Agong to resign,” Malaysiakini quoted him.
Article 32(3) states that “the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall be elected by the Conference of Rulers for the term of five years, but may at any time resign from his office by writing under his hand addressed to the Conference of Rulers or be removed from office by the Conference of Rulers and shall cease to hold office on ceasing to be a ruler.”
On the other hand, Article 33(3) states that “if during the term the deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong was elected and a vacancy occurs in the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong his term shall expire on the cessation of the vacancy”.
By convention, the Agong is elected on rotation based on a set list.
Malaysiakini reported that based on the list, the next in line is Pahang. However, Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah has been ill for some time and his son, Crown Prince Tengku Abdullah, is the regent.
In a way, the situation has some similarities when it was Kelantan’s turn. At the time, Sultan Muhammad V’s father Sultan Ismail Petra was also ill.
The newsportal quoting a well-placed source said that a key difference was when it was Kelantan’s turn, Sultan Muhammad V was already the official monarch of the state.
Sultan Ismail Petra suffered a major stroke in 2009 after a prolonged illness and the Kelantan succession council proclaimed Sultan Muhammad V as the new ruler in 2010.
In contrast, Tengku Abdullah is not the official Pahang sultan but is only a regent.
If the Conference of Rulers finds that it cannot elect the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong from Pahang, the next in line will be Johor, where Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar reigns. After Johor is Perak.
