It was announced on Sunday, January 6, 2019, that the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Federal King) of Malaysia, Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan has stepped down from his position as Head of state. The confirmation came through a statement from the National Palace (Istana Negara - YDP Agong's official residence) that evening with immediate effect. Sultan Muhammad V has served as Malaysia's 15th elected King from December 2016 and his term would normally expire in 2021. He becomes the first in this office to leave it through resignation. Under Malaysian monarchy's unique rotation system (where a King/Head of state is elected every five years among the country's nine muslim traditional rulers, in a concrete order), his successor should be elected by the Conference of Rulers and take the oath of office by the end of this month.
How everything went through :
The announcement came from Istana Negara in the late afternoon. It stated that His Majesty resigned as Yang di-Pertuan Agong according to the article 32(3) of Federal Constitution, having officially informed the Conference of Rulers through written letters. This article refers that the YDP Agong "may at any time resign from office by writing to the Conference or Rulers, or be removed by it". The King also expressed his gratitude to the Conference of Rulers for having elected him, the Prime Minister & national government for "given cooperation in the administration of the country", the statement said. Muhammad V concluded by urging to All Malaysians to remain united, be tolerant & responsible, so the country could continue to enjoy peace & harmony. Former YDP Agong himself was by then ready to return to his state (Kelantan) and continue to cooperate from here (as a Sultan) with the government, protecting and developing the country. The abdication came into effect immediately. It was the first of an Agong ever, the first one in Malaysia's post-independence history. Previously the only reason a King didn't complete his five-year term was his death in office.
AGONG MUHAMMAD V's REIGN:
Sultan Muhammad V's two-year reign (that begun on 13 December 2016) was the second shortest for a Yang di-Pertuan Agong (after Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah of Selangor, who died after just four months in office, back in 1960). But it has been too eventful enough. During its tenure the political course of Malaysia changed for the first time in decades, after Pakatan Harapan (PH) political party defeated the ruling Barisan National's incumbent government in the national elections of 9 May 2018. Then the King causing controversy after delaying to swear in Mahathir Mohamad (then 92-year-old former Prime Minister, whose rift with some Malay monarchs back in 1980s &1990s was known) until the evening of Thursday, May 10. A similar case was also the delay to appoint the new government's Attorney General, who was not Malay Muslim in June. It finally happened after the government's lobby, with a two weeks' delay. However, among the former Agong's parts of positive legacy will be the full pardon he granted to former oppositional leader & political prisoner (by the previous government), Anwar Ibrahim. His wife, current Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, was particularly thankful to Muhammad V for that. As Sultan he is also known for his austere way of life, familiarity to extreme sports & easy approach with ordinary people. Among other well remembered moments of his term as the 15th YDP Agong will be his phrase "please sit down and don't run away" to the ministers at this year's Parliament's opening, and his 10% pay-cut from salaries in solidarity with national debt, and the cancelation of some expensive nationwide festivities for his official birthday (with money going to charities) as well.
Private Life & Controversy:
Agong's resignation coincided with the 70th birthday of his mother, former Raja Perempuan of Kelantan, Tengku Anis Tengku Abdul Hamid. Within his royal family Sultan Muhammad has also been quite controversial sometimes. The 49-year-old Oxford graduate ruler (with islamic-oriented education) seized the Kelantan's throne (in 2010) following the deposition of his father (Sultan Ismail Petra), incapacitated from an illness, even though the latter resisted this decision of local Federal Council. Shortly into his reign as Sultan, Muhammad (whose full name is Muhammad Faris Petra) outsted his younger brother, Muhammad Fakhry Petra from Kelantan's Succession Council (that decides whether a Sultan should be installed), paving him the way to reign undisturbed. The fact that he succeeded the throne from a father alive, and was allowed to be elected as King, puts him to the exceptional record of the only (yet) reigning Yang di-Pertuan Agong with both living palace. He is also the youngest of current Malay monarchs, and the only Agong to have served without an official consort (Raja Permaisuri Agong). He was married to a member of Southern Thai royalty from 2004, but they divorced in 2008 without producing a heir. A lot of rumours were spread after King Muhammad V (who seeked a treatment leave abroad in the recent two months) reportedly married Oksana Voevodina, a Russian 'beauty Queen' and former Miss Moscow (2015) on November 22, last year. No official confirmation came from the national palace, while on His Majesty's return to public duties last week, speculations about his pending abdication begun to emerge (though unconfirmed). Nothing more is known for this case, but a curiosity about the evident connection of the Sultan's marriage and that the failure (or opposition by other royals) of promoting his new wife as a consort may have been the reason of his unprecendented abdication remain; despite the denial of all these by Kelantanese authorities (citting the King's own - unreported - reasons to give up the state leadership).
WHO IS THE NEXT???
Following the Agong's office was left vacant, an Acting King will fulfill his duties until his successor will be elected. It will be the Sultan of Perak and Deputy YDP Agong, Sultan Nazrin Shah to take this responsibility (he already performed a similar role during the recent Muhammad V's absence from Nov. 2 to Dec. 31, past year). The next day of the announcement (Monday, January 7, 2019,) six of the nine Malay monarchs had an "emergency meeting", where they decided the dates of the new King's election and accession. Sultan Muhammad V's successor as Yang di-Pertuan Agong will be known on January 24, taking the oath of office on January 31(, this year). Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad just wished the next Agong to be elected as soon as possible, though he promised not to be interferring (as this process is not a government's matter). Accodring to Malaysian states' rotation order (first established by the state rulers' seniority) the next candidate to the role of YDP Agong is Pahang's 88-year-old Sultan Ahmad Shah. However he has already served a full term (between 1979-84) and currently has serious age-related health issues. Having named his son & heir, Tengku Abdullah (59) as Regent two years ago, and being replaced in the most of major state ocassions by him ever since, some recent sources emerge, telling about the possibility of a pre-arranged Sultan's abdication in favor of his son - so Tengku Abdullah to become Sultan, paving him the way to be elected King and maintain the rotation system unchanged. Although no evident details of that have yer become public. The next-"in-line" to the YDP Agong's term in Johor' Sultan Ibrahim (60). A motocrade enthusiast and the wealthiest Malay Sultan (with an independent, sovereign-state-alike, royal court), he and members of his family have faced controversy in the past through their tentions with the current Prime Minister and abuse-related crimes, having avoided justice due to their status. But while Sultan Ibrahim is seen as a possible candidate, in the previous such Conference of Rulers (in 2016) he declined his candidacy, prefering the rotation system to follow strictly its line. It is not known whether this time he'll do the same. After Ibrahim, the potential "King-in-waiting" is Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak (62). Some do prefer him due to his western education, political experience, diplomacy and wide-horizontal views; however his choice would break down the usual rotation order. Whatsoever the result is, it will depend on the decision of the majority of Conference of Rulers.
MALAYSIAN MONARCHY:
Malaysia is the only constitutional monarchy, where the King is selected through this way and performs largely ceremonial duties for a five year term. He is elected by the Conference of Rulers, a body made up of the 13 heads of Malaysia's traditional federal states: nine of them are monarchs ( Sultans, a Raja/King and a "Yang di-Pertuan Besar"/Supreme Chief~), and the four others - governors (who can not participate in this election). They held official meetings about thrice a King's term, discussing important affairs regarding their positions and state leadership, within the King's ceremonial duties (as Head of state, Supreme Commander of the Military & Defender of Islam - the official religion of the nation). Ever since Malaysia became Independent (1957), the throne of its head of state is "exchanged" every five years between the nine traditional state's monarchs, in a special circle, initially arranged by State's seniority (and never broken out - as of yet). So every five years the nine monarchs select one of them (preferably accodring the traditional seniority line) as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and another (usually the "next-in-line") as his deputy, for a signle term. During its tenure he moves to capital Kuala Lumpur, exchanging the official functions as Head of state, is listed above everyone in hierarchy, enjoys the priviledge of a King and is replaced in his state by a Regent (or Regency Council). After his term expires, he returns to his state, continuing to reign as its monarch (Sultan, etc) with the Head's of state title used only posthumously. The YDP Agong may leave his office before the end of his term, through abdication, deposition, or death. Until now, only the last has happened a few times. In case the office of Agong becomes vacant, the Deputy assumes the duties of Acting head of state, and the Conference of rulers is obliged to select a successor within four weeks, changing the dates of the office' assume. A ceremonious installation is usually held within a few months (or a year) since the new YDP Agong has taken the oath of office. However it's up to him to decide. And while Malay monarchs enjoy a sublime moral authority and infalible by the state laws, with their traditions' preservation belonging to their authority, the system of that country is Constitutional monarchy and governments have the final say on the legal system each time.
Videos from Muhammad V's Reign & the current situation of future YDP Agong' candidates:
https://royaleventsintheword.blogspot.com/2019/01/breaking-agong-returns-malaysias-royal.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR0VUTH96gyEND5vzxwN3L_tGcf0mwOMFQ1riE5AXdEgAcRQSPpDkxa5EVA
https://royaleventsintheword.blogspot.com/2019/01/ydp-agongs-mother-turns-70-sunday.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR28jrWUBUJleJFJhpbxwMDYo7DWzvvrb6lJpCndp5dVrnuOzq9S8v0Fybs
https://royaleventsintheword.blogspot.com/2018/12/a-new-raja-permaisuri-agong-malaysias.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR3k46aDSJo4Li1hzfAxcGEOCLBiM8utrvDm19AxSDkBUXCON_1nhxsiqFU
https://royaleventsintheword.blogspot.com/2018/12/golden-wedding-of-kelantans-former.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR0PbQ6KrGEUBrfsnBATi0GN1-cobA5JO2pB7FRn-txjgmJhDHaEVI5kPwc
https://royaleventsintheword.blogspot.com/2018/11/breaking-deputy-ydp-agong-appointed.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR1Jtqu8qDICRg0TTafyppdR3XVZEv39s5xJIXVIrHP6eLeHpZ4zmPT6WKo
& Extra additional links of information:
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysian-king-resignation-agong-sultan-muhammad-v-11094048
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46775499
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sultan-muhammad-vs-eventful-reign-as-malaysias-king
https://says.com/my/news/most-memorable-sultan-muhammad-v
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/sultan-muhammad-v-resigns-as-yang-di-pertuan-agong-updated-AE350741
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/crisis-averted-with-kings-resignation
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/459290
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_V_of_Kelantan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yang_di-Pertuan_Agong
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/01/06/pahang-johor-or-perak-nation-awaits-next-agong/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmad_Shah_of_Pahang
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tengku_Abdullah
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_Ismail_of_Johor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazrin_Shah_of_Perak
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conference_of_Rulers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Malaysia#Article_32_%E2%80%93_The_Head_of_State
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_succession_to_the_Malaysian_throne#Federal_throne
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/08/31/king-cancels-official-birthday-celebrations-on-sept-9/
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/07/asia/malaysia-sultan-muhammad-v-royal-rulers-meet-intl/index.html
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