Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah leaves Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur January 24, 2019. — Picture by Hari Anggara

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — The Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al Musta’in Billah, is the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, it was announced today.

The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, is the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, Tan Sri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, said in a statement.

He said the Conference of Rulers declared, after its 251st special meeting today at Istana Negara today, that Sultan Abdullah had been elected as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a five-year reign beginning Jan 31, 2019.

He also said that Sultan Nazrin Shah would reign as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong for the same period.

The election of the new King was held following the unprecedented resignation of Sultan Muhammad V, the Sultan of Kelantan, as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on January 6.

The special meeting of the Conference of Rulers, which was chaired by the Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, was attended by eight of the nine Malay Rulers. Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan did not attend the meeting.

Syed Danial said that in accordance with Paragraph 3, Part I of the Third Schedule of the Federal Constitution, the decision of the Conference of Rulers had been conveyed to both Houses of Parliament.

“The prime minister has also been informed,” he said.

The Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal had said in a statement on Jan 7 that the Conference of Rulers had decided that the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong would take their oath of office and sign the instrument of office on January 31. — Bernama