KUALA LUMPUR: The nine Malay Rulers are scheduled to meet today to elect the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong who will reign for five years.

The election will take place during the Special Meeting of the Conference of Rulers scheduled to begin at 10.30am at Istana Negara.

The 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V who is the Sultan of Kelantan, stepped down as the King on Jan 6.

The Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Nazrin Shah who is the Sultan of Perak, has been discharging the duties of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong pending the election.

In accordance with Section 2 of the Third Schedule of the Federal Constitution, the Conference of Rulers shall offer the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to the Ruler qualified for election whose state is first on the election list.

The first rotational list of the appointment of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was made with the consent of the Rulers according to seniority in terms of the period of their reign in the following order: Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Johor and Perak.

Only the Malay Rulers, the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal and the Assistant Secretary of the Conference of Rulers will be present during the election process.

According to the official website of the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, during the election, the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal will provide one ballot paper to each Ruler who will have to state whether the most senior Ruler is suitable/unsuitable to be elected as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The candidate must obtain the majority of five votes before the Ruler who chairs the Election Meeting offers the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to the Ruler.

If the successful Ruler does not accept the offer or the Ruler fails to obtain the majority of votes, then the election process will be repeated, with the Ruler whose name appears on the second position in the list as the candidate.

The process will only be completed after a Ruler obtains the majority of votes and accepts the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Then, the Conference of Rulers will declare that Ruler as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. — Bernama